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PROGRESS
WORKS
HARRY L. HOPKINS
Administrator
ADMINISTRATION
OORRINGTON GILL
Assistant Administrator
NATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECT
on
Reemployment Opportunities and Recent Changes
in Industrial Techniques
IRVING KAPLAN
Associate Director
DAVID WEINTRAUB
Director
In cooperation with
INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH. DEPARTMENT
WHARTON SCHOOL OF FINANCE AND COMMERCE
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
ANNE BEZANSON
JOSEPH WILLITS
Director
Director
Philadelphia Labor Market Studies
Gladys L. Palmer, Economist in Charge
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PHILADELPHIA LABOR MARJCET STUDIES
GunYs L. PALMER, Research Associate, Industrial Research Department, University of
Pennsylvania; Consultant, .National Research Project, directing studies of this
section
JANET H. LEWIS, Statistician
HELEN L. KLOPFER, Associate Economist
MURRAY P. PFEFFERMAN, Associate Statistician
MARGARET W. BELL, Assistant Statistician
VIRGINIA F. SHRYOCK, Chief Statistical Clerk
HELEN HERRMANN, Research Economist in charge
of field work for Schedule #20
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TEN YEARS OF WORK EXPERIENCE OF
PHILADELPHIA l~AVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
by
Gladys L. Palmer
with the assistance of
Kate Edelma~, M. Eileen Leach, and
Helen Klopfer
WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION, NATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECT
In cooperation with
INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Report No. P-4
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
July 1938
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WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION
WALKER-JOHNSON BUILDINC.
1734 NEW YORK AVENUE NW.
WASHINGTON, D. C.
HARRY L. HOPKINS
ADMINIIIT1',-TOII
July H,
i938
Hon. Harry L. Hopkins
Works Progress Administrator
Sir:
When reference is made to "stranded workers", one
usually thinks of single-industry communities in which
the industry has either declined, or moved away, or
gone out of existence altogether.
Yet, as the report
submitted herewith points out, certain types of workers
can be as effectively stranded in a highly diversified
industrial comm.unity as those residing around the tipples
of shut-down coal mines or in cut-over areas.
Weaving c.nd loom fixing in the woolen and worsted,
carpet and rug, andupholstery-goods industries require
a high degree of skill which cannot be used outside of
the textile industries.
These industrieshavebeen declining in Philadelphia ever since i920.
The loss of
a job under such conditions, especially when the loss
is due to a permanent shut-down, usually means extended
unemployment.
Reemployment, if not at weaving or loom
fixing, is almost always at a less-skilled occupation.
Almost 7 percent of the workers studied reported
more than 60 months of unemployment during the iO year~
i926-3S.
In May i936, 29 percent of all the Philadelphia
weavers and loom fixers were unemployed. One-fifth of
these unemployed in May i936 had lost the last regular
job earlier in that year.
Twenty-eight percent had lost
their last jobs in i935, i3 percent in i934, i2 percent
in i933, 7 percent in i932, and 20 percent prior to
i932; that is, one-fifth had been unemployed continuously
for more than 5 years.
The weavers and loom fixers in
this last group are a part of the "hard core within the
hard core" of unemployment.
As a recent British report
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has put it, they are in the "remotest of all back-waters,
five years or more without work."
The outlook for an increase in textile production in
Philadelphia suf f ic i en t to absorb the unemployed weavers
and loom fixers is extremely slim.
In view of the high
average age of those unemployed in i936 (Si years) and
the obstacle which that presents to adjustment to a new
occupation they are bound to remain subject to a great
deal of unemployment.
This is especially true of those
who had worked in mills which have either moved away or
are no longer in operation.
They are not even in a
position to accumulate credits toward a pension when
they reach the age of 65.
On the other hand, since
advanced years do not seem to be an obstacle to retaining a job at these skilled occupations, many of those
who are still attached to operating plants are likely
to remain in the industry.
Their periodic lay-offs
will be at least partly compensated by unemployment insurance, and on reaching 65 they will become eligible
for old-age pensions.
This report on fen Iea'l'"s of 'fio'l'"'k Expe,,-ience of
PhitadeLphia '/f'eave'l'"s and Loo~ fixe'l'"s covers one of the
studies of the Philadelphia labor market carried on by
the National Research Project on Reemployment Opportunities and Recent Changes in Industrial Techniques in cooperation with the Industrial Research Department of the
University of Pennsylvania.
The study was conducted
under the supervision of Dr. Gladys L. Palmer, who,
with the assistance of Kate B. Edelman, M. Eileen Leach,
and Helen L. Klopfer, also wrote the report.
Respectfully yours,
Corrington Gill
Assistant Administrator
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CONTENTS
Page
Section
xiii
PREFACE.
I. INTRODUCTION
1
Recent industrial changes in the selected
industries in Philadelphia.
aasis of selection of the sample
Reliability of the data.
Plan of the report
II, THE OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF WEAVERS AND
LOOM FIXERS IN 1936, • •
Industry of usual employment
Age. . .
• •...••
Nativity
Residence in Philadelphia.
Education • • • • • • • • •
Entrance to the labor market and to the
textile industries, • •
. .••
Years of experience at weaving and loom fixing.
The incidence of unemployment in May 1936 . • •
The unemployment experience of those unemployed
in May 1936
Summary.
III. EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE IN THE
10-YEAR PERIOD, 1926-35 . • •
3
6
7
9
10
11
12
13
13
14
15
17
19
24
25
28
Trends in employment opportunity
Total employment and unemployment, 1926-35
Jobs at the usual and at other occupations
Incidence of unemployment. . • • • • . • •
Number and length of unemployment periods.
28
32
36
37
38
IV. lABOR MOBILITY IN THE 10 YEARS, 1926-35. • •
43
Employment at occupations other than the usual.
Job separations. • • • • • • • • • . . • • . •
Employer, occupational, and industrial shifts.
V. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS.
.
52
Attaohment to the occupation
Patterns of mobility • • . •
Employment and unemployment.
Con cl us ior,s. • • •
52
53
55
56
APPENDIX A:
. .
43
47
49
TABLES.
59
APPENDIX B: SCHEDULE AND DEFINITIONS
OF TERMS USED.
93
Schedule . . •
Definitions of terms used.
94
95
vii
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viii
CONTENTS
CHARTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure
Page
1.
Rug weaver • • • .
2.
Jacquard loom weaver
11
3.
Age of weavers and loom fixers by employment status
in May 1936.
• • • • • .
• . • •
• • • •
21
Employment history of individual weavers in three
textile industries, January 1926-December 1935
29
Employment status of weavers and loom fixers by
months, January 1928-December 1935. • . .
31
Employment status of weavers in three textile
industries, January 1928-December 1935.
33
Percentage distribution of specified types of
employment experience, 1926-35, by employment
status in May 1936 • • • • • • •
• • • • •
34
Socioeconomic character of jobs at occupations other
than the usual, 1926-35, for all men weavers by
age in May 1936 . • • • •
46
Percentage distribution of weavers and loom fixers
by type and frequency of separations, 1928-35.
48
Weaver filling a shuttle.
54
4.
5.
6.
7,
8.
9.
10.
• •
2
APPENDIX TABLES
Table
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
8.
7.
8.
Average number of wage earners in the woolen and
worsted industry in Philadelphia and the United
States, 1899-1935. • • • • .
60
Average number of wage earners in the carpet and rug
industry in Philadelphia and the United States,
1899-1935. • . . •
• • • • • • • •
61
Usual occupation, by the usual industry and employment status in May 1938.
62
Year of entering the labor market by the usual
occupation • •
82
Age, ~sual occupation, and usual industry in
May 1936
• • • •
63
Nativity, by the usual occupation, the usual
industry, and age in May 1936. .
• . • •
64
Year of beginning residence in Philadelphia by the
usual occupation . • • •
64
School grade completed, by the usual occupation, the
usual industry, and age in May 1936 • • • : • •
85
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ix
CONTENTS
APPENDIX TABLES-Cont•inued
Table
Age of beginning work, by the usual oc~upation and
age in May 1936. . .
66
Number of years employed at the usual occupation by
the usual occupation and the usual industry. •
67
Length of service on and date of beginning longest
job by sex and by the usual industry
68
12.
Age and employment status in May 1936.
69
13.
Year of loss of last job at the usual occupation for
those employed at other occupations and for those
unemployed in May 1936, by the usual industry.
69
Occupation of last job, by socioeconomic group,
usual occupation, and age, for those employed at
occupations other than the usual in May 1936.
70
Occupation of last job, by socioeconomic group,
usual occupation, and age, for those unemployed in
May 1936. • . • • • •
• • • . • .
71
Duration of unemployment since last job for those
unemployed in May 1936, by the usual occupation,
the usual industry, and age.
72
Duration of unemployment since last job for those
unemployed in May 1936, by number of months of
unemployment, average length of unemployment
periods,. and length of longest period of unemployment, 1926-35 • • .
73
Employment status of 357 weavers and loom fixers in
the three selected industries, by months, 1926-35
74
Employment status of 76 weavers and loom fixers in
the woolen- and worsted-goods industry, by months,
1926-35. • • • • •
. • . •
74
Employment status of 115 weavers and loom fixers in
the carpet and rug industry, by months, 1926-35. •
75
Employment status of 166 weavers and loom fixers in
the upholstery-goods industry, by months, 1926-35
75
Average number of months of specified types of
employment experience, 1926-35, by the ·usual
occupation and the usual industry. • • • • •
76
Average number of months of specified types of
employment experience, 1926-35, by age and employment status in May 1936. . . . • • • • • . • •
77
Number of years employed at the usual occupation by
employment status in May 1936. • • • • • • . .
78
9.
10.
11.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
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X
CONTENTS
APPENDIX TABLES-Continued
Table
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
Page
Number of months not seeking work before and after
entering the labor market-, 1926-35, by sex and age
in May 1936.
• • . . . .
78
Average number of months of specified types of
employment experience, 1926--35, by the usual
occupation and employment status in May 1936
79
Average length of service on each job at the usual
occupation, 1926-35, by employment status in
May 1936 . . .
• . • • • • .
79
Number of months of unemployment, 1926-35, by the
usual occupation and age in May 1936 . •
80
Number of months of unemployment, 1926--35, by
employment status in May 1936. • • . • •
81
Number of months of unemployment, 1926-30 and
1931-35, by employment status in May 1936. •
81
Number of periods of unemployment, 1926-35, by the
usual occupation, the usual industry, and age in
May 1936 • • • • • • • . • • • . • • • • • .
82
Number of periods of unemployment, 1926-35, by
employment status in May 1936, and total number of
months unemployed, 1926--35.
83
Average length of unemployment periods, 1926--35, by
the usual occupation and age in May 1936 . . .
84
Average length of unemployment periods, 1926-35, by
employment status in May 1936. • . . • • . . .
85
Average length of unemployment periods, 1926-30 and
1931-35, by employment status in May 1936. • . •
85
Length of and year of beginning the longest period
of unemployment, 1926-35, by employment status in
May 1936 . • . • • • • .
. . . • • • . . •
86
Socioeconomic character of man-months of employment
at occupations other than the usual, 1926-35, by
the usual occupation. • . . • . . .
. . . • •
87
Socioeconomic character of man-months of employment
at occupations other than the usual, before and
after employment at the usual occupation, 1926-35
87
Occupational group of majority of jobs at occupations other than the usual, by age in May 1936.
88
Types of shift experience, 1926-35, by employment
status in May 1936 . . •
88
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xi
CONTENTS
APPENDIX TABLES-Continued
Table
41.
42.
43,
44.
45.
46,
Pag·e
Number of job separations, 1926-35, by the usual
occupation, age, and employment status in May 1936
89
Type of employment, experience after each job separation, 1926-35, by age and employment status in
May 1936 • . • • • • • • . • • • . .
90
Type of employment experience after each job separation, 1926-30 and 1931-35, by the usual occupation
91
Number of employer shifts, 1926-35, by the usual
occupation . • .
91
Number of occupational shifts, 1Q26-35, by the usual
occupation . . . •
92
Number of industrial shifts, 1926-35, by the usual
occupation • . • •
92
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PREFACE
The woolen and worsted, carpet and rug, and upholstery industries of Philadelphia had been declining even before 1929.
The decline in this old center of these industries reflects mainly
their general decline in the country as a whole and the migration
of mills to other areas. In addition, style changes in housefurnishings have resulted in a heavy drop in thede~and for many
of the textile products in which Philadelphia mills specialized:
carpets and rugs, upholste_ry goods,
novelty h?usefurnishiQg fabrics.
tapestries,
plushes, and
Greater declines in the production of these fabrics took place
in Philadelphia than in the rest of the country. Thus, while in
the woolen and worsted industry, for example, the number of
workers employed in the country as a whole declined only 24 percent from 1919 to 1933, in Philadelphia the drop amounted to 63
percent. Similar declines occurred in the other industries selected for study.
This report is concerned primarily with
the work experience
of a sample of Philadelphia weavers and loom fixers who represent
a cross section of the local labor supply in these occupations
in 1936. Their average agewas45 years. This sample comprises
a relatively aged group of workers because few persons had entered
these trades in Philadelphia since 1920. The persistent decline
in employment opportunities at weaving or loom fixing has nonetheless resulted in extensive unemployment for those already in
the labor market. One-fifth of these unemployed in May 1936,
had been unemployed continuously for more than 5 years.
The analysis of the 10-year work history of 357 Philadelphia
weavers and loom fixers shows that only 12 percent of their nonweaving employment during that period was spent at work as skilled
as weaving and loom fixing. Considering the fact that a weaver's
skill in the specialty textile trades is the result of long years
of apprenticeship and experience and that it is of little use in
any other industry, it is not surprising to find weavers who, though
separated from a loom for many years, continue to regard weaving
as their trade and are unable to make a satisfactory adjustment
by shifting to another skilled occupation.
There are indications that such technological changes as have
been introduced in the three Philadelphia textile industries
xiii
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PREFACE
xiv
studied had little direct effect on the employment of weavers and
loom fixers in the area. However, the technology available to
the industries has improved considerably during the past 25 years.
Usually these improvements are adopted when new plants are established or when old plants migrate to new areas. With the best
technology available 25 years ago a mill with an output of 22,000
yards of 32-ounce woolen overcoating per week of two ~o-hour
shifts,
for example,
required ~8 semiautomatic looms and 96
weavers. Today a mill of similar capacity needs only 37 automatic looms attended by 26 weavers. In 1910 it was usual for one
weaver on worsted serge to operate two looms. In 1936 many mills
assigned 6 automatic looms to a weaver on worsted serge; 12 looms
were not unusual and "with the help of battery hands even 20 to
1
2~ looms."
Where such improvements as these were adopted in the
textile plants which migrated out of Philadelphia, the number of
weavers who could possibly have migrated with the plants was
therefore much smaller than the number displaced.
We gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of the men and women
who made this study possible by patiently answering questions concerning their employment and unemployment experience during the
past 10 years.
DAVID WEINTRAUB
IRVING KAPLAN
PH I LA DEL P HI A
July
2,
1
938
1
see Borls Stern, Mechanical Changes in the lt'ooLen a1'1d lt'o-rsted Industries,
to 1936 (Works Progress Administration, National Research ProJect in
cooperation with Bureau or Labor Statistics, Department or Labor, Report No.
B-3, Jan. 1938; reprinted rromNonthLy Labo.,- Review Vol. 48, No. l, Jan. 1938).
1910
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SECTION I
INTRODUCTION
In considering the chances for the
reemployment or for
the
continued employment of skilled workers during a period of rapid
industrial change,
it has seemed important to attempt a reap-
praisal of the current valueof specialized experience and other
factors which have traditionally given to the workers possessing
theman economic advantage in the competition for jobs.
of this kind is
especially significant in
A study
skilled occupations
in which technological changes and other economic factors have
reduced the degree of skill as well as
the number of workers
fonnerly required in these occupations.
A consideration of the employment problems precipitated by such
a situation gives rise to a number of questions.
does age
become a handicap?
Are mature years in
At what point
themselves a
disadvantage? Is occupational and industrial stability a help or
a hindrance to a skilled worker in the contemporary labor market?
Does specialized skill or experience tend to become a liability?
For example, does the weaver who sticks to his loom, so to speak,
find himself at
a disadvantage compared with workers who
have
shifted from job to job, from one occupation to another, or who
have had a variety of industrial experiences?
What adjustments
are made by workers displaced from a declining occupation?
This st 11dy of weavers and loom fixers has been made with the
hope that some answer may be found to these questions by a considerationof the occupational characteristics and recent employment experiences of a group of skilled workers with specialized
experience in selected textile industries in which employment has
declined sharply in this city during recent years. The occupations of weaving and loom fixing were selected because they constitute the largest single occupational group in the manufacture
of fabrics. Weavers, together with loom fixers, form the most
highly skilled group of wage earners engaged in the production
of textile fabrics.
1
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2
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
Those employed in the woolen and worsted, carpet and rug, 1 and
uphol s tery-goods 2 industries form a particularly interesting and
impor t ant part of the labor supply in the textile industries of
Philadel phia . Local firms have always specialized in the manufacture of fine fabrics, and specialized experience, as well as
a high degree of skill, has traditionally been required for maintainin g a nd operating the looms on which these high-grade fabrics
are produced .
WPA- National
Research
Pro j ect
( Rine )
FIGURE 1 . - RUG WEA VER
Note at upper left the ca rdbo a rd patt e rn, pu nched wit n ho l es.whi c h co ntrols
the mo v e ment of the warp thread s and ther eoy t he pa tte r n in the g ood s woven.
Man y of the older workers are forei gn-born and were trained in
the f amous textile centers of Western and Central Europe, England,
and Scotland . Their specialized skill and c raftmanship were an
import a nt contribution to the development and maintenance of the
high s t a ndardsof quality and workmanship for which Philadelphia
1The carpet and rug Industry cons1deredln this study excludes the rag-carpet
and rug Industry .
21ncludlngmohalr, rrteze, plush, haircloth, and all Jacquard-woven upholstery
rabr!cs and draperies.
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INTRODUCTION
fabrics have been noted.
3
Pride in their craft and in the quality
of the fabrics they produce characterize both native-born and
foreign-born weavers and loom fixers in these industries. They
are scornful of inferior materials and poor workmanship and are
reluctant to admit that the need for expert craftmanship can be
eliminated by automatic devices.
The atti.tudeofskilled textile workers to recent developments
in the industries in Philadelphia has, in general, supported the
view of the worker who said, "The textile industry is shot in
Philadelphia. I wouldn I t want a son of mine to go into it. But
it's a trade that gets into you." In other words, they are discouraged about
future employment opportunities in
the textile
industries in the area but persist in their own attachment to the
labor market of these industries because they have always worked
with fabrics and prefer this type of employment.
It is not possible in this report to describe in detail the industrial changes which have so severely curtailed employment opportunities fort hese workers in Philadelphia during recent years.
Some understanding of the nature and extent of these changes is
necessary, however, foran understanding of the data presented in
this report. They are therefore briefly summarized here.
RECENT INDUSTRIAL CHANGES IN THE SELECTED INDUSTRIES
IN PHILADELPHIA
For many years the woolen and worsted, carpet and rug. and
upholstery-goods industries in Philadelphia gave employment to a
large nu~berof the city's industrial workers. Between 1899 and
1909 approximately30,ooo Philadelphia wage earners were employed
in the manufacture of woolens and worsteds and carpets and rugs
( tables 1 and 2). 3 By 19 19 this number was reduced to 23,040.
Census data are lacking as to the numberof wage earners employed
in ~he upholstery-goods industries during these years, but in
1930, 2,500 workers were so employed, and in earlier years. almost as large a group had been employed in the occupation of
weaving alone. 4
Over a long period of years, however, there has been a downward
trend in employment in all of these industries.
The average
3 All tables rererred to in the text are to be round in appendix A.
4 c. Canby Balderston, Robert P. Brecht, and Others, The Philadelphia Upholstery llea11ing Industry {Phlla., Pa.: University or Pennsylvania Press, 1932),
pp. 12, 18.
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4
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
number of wage earners employed in the woolen and worsted industry
in Philadelphia decreased more than 60 percent between the years
1919 and 1933 ( table 1 l. Strictly comparable data are lacking
for 1935, but it is evident there was little if any increase in
the number of persons employed in this industry in Philadelphia
during 19 34 and 19 35. Only three-tenths as many wage earners
were employed in the carpet and rug industry in the Philadelphia
Industrial Area 5 in 1933 as had been employed in this industry in
the city of Philadelphia alone in 1909 6 ( table 2). Employment
increased in the Industrial Area following 1933 and was slightly
higher in 1935 than it had been in 1929, but the number of wage
earners employed in the carpet and rug industry in 1935 was well
below the number employed in the city's carpet and rug industry
in 1919 and earlier years.
Satisfactory statistical data are not available to show recent
trends regarding the multiplicity of products made by upholsterygoods mills.
Combinations of cotton, rayon, silk, wool, and
worsted yarns are used. Some of the products include tapestries,
damasks, brocades, mohairs, plushes, haircloth, draperies, and
novelty housefurnishing fabrics woven, for the most part, on
jacquard looms. The scanty evidence available substantiates the
opinion current in the trade that production in Philadelphia mills
has decreased more rapidly than in the country as a whole and
that the number of persons recently employed in this locality is
considerably smaller than in earlier years.
From the data available for the United States (tables 1 and 2)
it is evident that local employment trends in these industries
reflect to some extent conditions in the country as a whole. There
has been, however, a much more serious decline in Philadelphia
than in the United StatPs generally. During the past 20 or 25
years, industrial activity in all of these industries has shifted
to other geographical areas, and Philadelphia has been characterized by contraction of output and emplnyment opportunity in
these industries. The average number of wage earners employed
in the woolen and worsted industry in the Vnited States, for
example, showed a 24-percent decline between 1919 and 1933, in
contrast to a 63-percent decreasewhich took place in Philadelphia
5 The Philadelphia Industrial Area tncludes Philadelphia, Buck.s, Chester,
Delaware, and Montgomery Counties in PennsYl vani a and Camden, Bc1rl1ngtsn,
and Gloucester Counties in New Jersey.
6 PracticallY the whole or the carpet and rug industry in the Philadelphia
Industrial Area is located In the city or Philadelphia.
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INTRODUCTION
during those years.
industries.
5
A similar trend is observed for the other
Another factor which has undoubtedly contributed to the recent
decline in employment opportunities in all these industries is
the introd11ction of improvements in textile machinery with consequent changes in the customary ratios of workers to machines.
There are no available data on the extent to which these changes
have been introduced in Philadelphia textile mills nor on the
effects of such changes on the employment of weavers and loom
fixers in recent years.
A studyof the Philadelphia upholstery-
weaving industry made in 1931 may be used to substantiate more
recent trends which were commented on by the workers who were
interviewed for this study. In the years from 1925 to 1931 the
number of weavers employed by Philadelphia upholstery-goods mills
declined ~5 percent, while the number of workers in most of the
other occupations declined slightly or remained fairly constant. 7
Thus the employment opportunity for weavers has been more seriously affected than that of other textile occupations by recent
industrial changes.
Loom fixers represent a slightly different situation. Most of
themwere weavers before they became loom fixers. They are highly
skilled and can be used for various types of repair and installation work in a mill. When work is dull, they can do weaving as
wellasloom fixingorrepairwork.
In general,theyare retained
on pay rolls longer than weavers when operations are curtailed,
and their regular employment is more steady.
Rightly or wrongly, many of the workers interviewed for this
study consider technological improvements and thespeed-up system
responsible for poor quality in the fabrics they make and for the
recent unemployment in their industries. ''The chief reason for
unemployment in the weaving trade is automatic looms," said one
weaver who has woven both woolen and worsted goods in his day.
"One man rnns six to eight of these looms, where previously each
man ran one loom.
It is a physical
impossibility to do a good
job with so many looms." A loom fixer explained the effects of
the modern speed-up system in this way. "You have to work so
fast," he said, "that there is no time to explain anything to
the apprentices - why, you don't have time to talk. I feel I'm
doing the work of two men. Eight years ago, 12 used to be the
7 Balcterston, Brecht, anct Others, op. cit., pp. 14, 204-e.
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
6
number of looms one man had to fix; now it's 20 or 21, sometimes
22.
Why don't they slow down a little and give a man a chance
to do a better job?"
The economic factors of recent importance in the selected textile industries are therefore threefold. They include a general
decline in the demand for the products manufactured affecting all
. areas and changes in the type of product demanded which presumably
affected Philadelphia mills to a greater degree than other areas.
These have resulted in the migration of the industry to outside
of the city or in its expansion in other areas. This type of
change has been especially important in the case of the carpet
and rug and upholstery-goods industries. In addition, technological changes have affected workers in all Philadelphia mills where
the improvements could be introduced, particularly in woolen and
worsted mills. Then et effect of these changes has been to reduce
employment opportunities for workers attached to the labor market
of the industries selected for study. There is some 1cvidence that
the employment of weavers has been adversely affected to a greater
degree than that of loom fixers, and, perhaps, of other workers
in the industries.
BASIS OF SELECTION OF THE SAMPLE
The 357 men and women whose work histories form the basis of
this study reported in the Philadelphia Survey of Employment and
Unemployment in May 1936 that their usual occupation was weaving
or loom fixing in one of the following industries: woolen and
worsted, carpet and rug, and upholstery-fabrics.
Only those
who were able to work and who were, as of May 1, 1936, either
working or looking for work were included in the study. 8 Those
who for any reason were not seeking work at that time 9 and those
who had not been employed for at least ~ consecutive weeks at
their usual occupation since 1925 were excluded. 10
Other workers who were excluded from this study by definition
were those who had been employed as weavers or loom fixers in one
8 Four persons who were not seeking workon Hay 1, 1936 but who had reentered
the labor market by the tlme of the Interview were also included In the study.
Practlcally all of the men who were not seeking work were either permanently
disabled or too old to work, while the women were, for the most part, occupied
with household cares. Some or the women, therefore, are likely to reenter
the labor market, but they had not done so at the time or the interview.
10one loom fixer who had worked onlyas a weaver and 1 weaver who had worked
onlyas a carder since 1925 were Included In the study. (It maybe noted that
none or those excluded ty this requirement had worked In textiles since 1925.)
9
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INTRODUCTION
7
of the selected industries during the 10 years prior to 1936 but
who had shifted to other work and considered the new work to be
their "usual" occupation and those who had left the community to
look for work elsewhere. Although data for these persons were
not available, there is little doubt that they were, on the whole,
more venturesome and more mobile than the average worker included
in this study.
The workers included in the study are therefore not representative of all weavers and loom fixers employed in the selected industries during the entire 10 years, 1926-35. for which special
data were obtained. The sample consists of the older, more stable
workers whose employment at their usual occupations was probably
better than the average for Philadelphia weavers and loom fixers
in those industries during this period. They are representative,
however, of the weavers and loom fixers who were still attached
to the labor market of these industries in May 1936.
A further limitation of the sample needs to be stated. This
sample should be representative of all weavers and loom fixers in
the city in 1936 if the larger sample for the Survey of Employment and Unemployment is representative of the city. The larger
Survey sample is composed of some ~s,ooo households in selected
blocks of the city's 10 school districts. Woolen- and worstedgoods weavers, however, are underrepresented in this study. It
is the opinion of textile union officials cognizant of the local
situation that woolen and worsted weavers outnumber upholsterygoods and carpet and rug weavers, whereas in the sample which comprises this study the reverse is true. This bias in the sample
can only be explained in terms of the accidental location of
woolen and worsted weavers' homes in relation to the city blocks
in the Survey of Employment and Unemployment.
RELIABILITY OF THE DATA
.
Since the data considered in this ~tudy were secured by personal
interviews with th~ workers themselves, allowances must be made
for a margin of error. Although some of the people interviewed
had kept detailed accounts of their work records or had receipts
for union dues to which they referred for dates, most of the men
and women depended on their memories. It is admittedly difficult
after a lapse of time to recall accurately the exact sequence
of events or particular dates.
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
B
Fluctuations in
employment during the earlier years of their
work histories may have been forgotten or misdated. Conditions
in the textile industries in the years covered by the work histories indicate that the period of time reported by some of the
workers as "steady work" must have included some periods of unemployment or part-time work. Moreover, pride, as well as faulty
memories, undoubtedly contributed to an overemphasis on employment in the past. This is evident from the way in which many of
them summed up their earlier work experiences: "I was known in
the trade, and all I had to do in those days was walk into a mill
and apply for a job."
job until 1929."
''I never knew what it was to be without a
Other points also have to be taken into account in explaining
inaccuracies in the reporting of employment and unemployment experience. Only jobs or unemployment periods of l month's duration
or longer were reported on the schedule used. ( See appendix B.)
Textile industries are characterized by considerable irregularity
of operation and by the use of crews of "spare hands" for intermittent employment even in prosperous years. During a prolonged
depression, operations became increasingly irregular, and workers
would find it difficult to recall the plant schedules accurately.
The textileworkers studied had been employed in plants where shop
customgave them the right to workon particular looms or to share
all available work of a particular type for most of the years
surveyed. The influenceof these factors on the reaction of workers to enumerators' questions regarding their employment status
as of a particular date was reflected in an answer which was repeated often: "I had a job but no work."
There are no serious discrepancies, however, between the dates
given for the shutting down of a mill or for the moving away of
a firm and the dates of these occurrences as secured from other
sources. These were crucial experiences and, together with other
momentous occasions in the life of the individual - such as leaving school and going to work, learning his trade, shifting to
another kind of work or getting a job after a long period of unemployment - seem to have been remembered vividly and to
been reported fairly accurately.
have
The inaccuracies of the material obtained result in a general
underestimate of the recent unemployment experience of Philadelphia weavers and loom fixers.
They also blur the sharpness
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9
INTRODUCTION
of the details or the exact timing of even ts, but they do not
destroy the major outlines which emerge from this analysis of
the impact of recent in dust rial changes upon a highly skilled
group of workers in one of the world's most ancient crafts.
PLAN OF THE REPORT
The analysis which is presented in the following pages consists
of three major parts. The first section describes the workers
included in the study, covering data with respect to their age,
nativity, occupational experience, industrial background, and
employment status at the time the study was made (May 1936).
This is followed by a detailed account of their employment and unemployment experiences during the 1926-35 decade. The volufl\e and
the incidence of unemployment for the occupations and industries
studied, as well as the experienceof individuals, are examined.
Various measures of unemployment for the 10-year period and for
the group who were unemployed at the time of the study are used
in relation to age and the customary industry to which weavers
and loom fixers were attached. Attention has been paid in a
third section to the mobility of the workers studied and to their
experience outside of the selected occupations and industries.
In the tabulation of the data obtained, the differences between
loom fixers and weavers and between workers attached to the three
selected industries were borne in mind. It was also considered
important to test the influence of age and employment stat 11s in
the spring of 19 36 on the various measures of work experience
used. The tables present these data in some detail. When a
statistical test for the significance 11 of some of the major
findings of the studywas applied, it was found that differences
between those who were unemployed in May 19 36 and those who were
employed at that time were consistently more significant than
other classifications of the sample. Age differences were the
next most significant, particularly for the groups above and
below 45 years of age. Occupational and industrial differences
were less significant except for one or two items. No details
are presented with regard to these tests, but the emphasis in
the following sections of the report grows out of the findings of
this preliminary analysis.
11 A d1rrerence between averages or percentages was considered to be sign1ricant when 1 t was equal to or greater than twlce the standard error or the
dirrerence. In other words, when the prooabilitY or obtaining an observed
dirrerence due to chance was less than 5 in 100, the difference was considered signiticant.
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SECTION II
THE OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF WEAVERS
AND LOOM FIXERS IN 1936
The group studied consists of 313 men and 44 women. All of the
women and 284 of the men were weaver::;. The other 29 men were
loom fixers. Although most lc,om fi.xershaveworkedas weavers and
can substitute for weavers, not all of
the weavers studied can
weave all fabrics without further training. In general, the woolen
and worsted weavers in Philadelphia make both plain and novelty
goods, but their work is the least skilled of the three groups of
weavers studied. Upholstery-goods weavers usually make novelty
fabrics only, using a loomwitha jacquard atlachment 1 which may
be set up for the production of a great variety of fabrics, mostly
tapestries, brocades, and damasks. Carpet and rug weavers handle
looms which have a number of additional attachmentsforsecuring
variety in the design and for improving the strength and finish of
the fabric. Weavers of carpets and rugs are usually considered
the most skilled in this occupation. Most upholstery-goods and
rug weavers were at one time weavers of woolens and worsteds or
other plain fabrics. Some carpet and rug weavers were formerly
tapestry wea\'ers. Thework histories of this group therefore show
some movement from industry to industry, representing in some
cases a promotion and in others a fill-in job to carry over a
worker during a dull period in another textile industry.
The gronp sturiied appear to have the occupational char;i,cteristics for which this specialized labor market in Philadelphia is
noted. Their age and na ti vi tY, years of residence in Phi lade lph ia,
and general educational attainments have been examined. The
dates when they entered the labor market, their first jobs, and
their years of experience at weaving and loom fixing are also
presented in some detail. These constitute background data for
understanding the differences found between those who were employed and those who were unemployed at the time of the study in
May 1936 and the more detailed analysis of t.hei r work experience
in the
10
years from 1926 to 1935.
1,l'he Jacquard loom, so-called, is a loom with an attachment that permits the
weaving or compl!cateel designs into fabrics. This attachment consists or a
punch-card system artlcu:atea to a harness or cords and wires, each or which
holels a warp thread. According to the Cles!gn to be woven, the Cl!str!butlcn
or holes In the cards Cletermlneswhen particular warp threadsare to be raised
and consequently determines the Incidence or the 1nter1aclngo! warp and weft.
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OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
WPA -Natlonal
Research
11
Project (Hine)
FIGURE 2.- JACQUARD LO OM WEAVER
This UJ,-hOlstery weav er is placing a s huttle in the bo x .
INDUSTRY OP USUAL EMPLOYMENT
Slightly less than one-half of the workers considered in the
study were upholstery-goods workers in 1936 ( table 3). Almost
one-third were carpet and rug workers, and the rest, slightly over
one-fifth of the group, were woolen and worsted workers. The industrial distribution of the men weavers follows that of the group
as a whole. Nearly 6opercent of the women weavers, however, and
more than 50 percent of the loom fixers were upholstery-goods
workers. One-fifth of the loom fixers and four women weavers were
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
employed customarily in the carpet and rug i'ndustry. Fourteen of
the 44 women weavers and about 28 percent of the loom fixers
were woolen and worsted workers.
ABE
The ages of the workers at the time of study in 1936 ranged from
18 to 77 years, but two-thirds of the men and over half of the
women were 40 years of age or older (table 5). The loom fixers
were, on the whole, an older group than the weavers; two-thirds of
them were so years of age or over. One-fourth of the women and
more than one-third of the men weavers were so years of age or
more. Less than 12 percent of the men and an even smaller proportion of the women were under 30. The average age for the
group as a whole was 44. 5 years. This was almost the same as
that of the men weavers who predominate in the sample. The women
weavers, however, had an average age of 40.9, and the average
loom fixer was 56.9 years old.
fhese are high average ages for a group of wage earners, even
among workers inoccupations which require a high degree of skill
ana specialized experience. For example, the average age of a
group of Philadelphia machinists who form the subject of a parallel study was45.2 years. The nature of the industrial changes
which have affected the industries considered in this study during
recent years probably accounts for the absence of younger workers,
who might be expected to be acquiring the necessary skill and
experience to work in these occupations.
The upholstery-goods workers are, on thewhole, younger than the
workers in either the carpet and rug or the woolen and worsted
industries. Their average age is 43. s years; the carpet and rug
workers have an average age of 44. 9 years; the woolen and worsted workers are the oldest, with an average age of 46.4 years
(table 5).
As these data indicate, the largest proportion of workers in
all three industries is between 35 and 54 years of age. It is
interesting to note, however, that a smaller proportion of the
carpet and rug workers than of the workers in either the woolen
and worsted or the upholstery industries is within this age range.
Approximately the same proportion of carpet workers as of upholstery workers is under 35 years of age. On the other hand,
almost as many of the carpet and rug workers as of the woolen
and worsted workers are ss years of age and over, and despite
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OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
13
their lower average age, a larger proportion of the workers in
the carpet and rug industry than of those in the woolen and worsted industry is 60 years of age or older. More than one-fifth
of the carpet and rug workers are in this oldest group.
NAT I VITY
The majority of the workers in the sample are native-born
( table 6 l. There is no important difference between the weavers
and loom fixers in this regard, but a smaller proportion of the
women than of the men are of foreign birth.
More than one-third of the foreign-born workers came from the
British Isles. Almost one-fourth are from Poland. Most of the
others came from France and Italy, with a scattering from other
European countries. More than half of the foreign-born women and
about half of the older foreign-born men are of English bi.rth.
Among the younger men there is a marked increase in the proporr ion of Polish immigrants and a corresponding decrease in the
relative number from the British Isles.
Among the older workers the proportion of foreign-born is considerably higher than it is among the younger workers. Slightly
over half of the workers 45 years of age and older are nativeborn; nearly two-thirds of those between the ages of 30 and 44
and nine-tenr.hs of those under 30 years of age are American-born.
In each of the industries also the proportion of foreign-born
workers is higher among the older than among the younger workers.
The highest proportion (50 percent) of foreign-born workers is
found in the woolen and worsted industry.
RESIDENCE IN PHILADELPHIA
The majority of the American-born workers are natives of Philadelphia and have lived in the city all their lives. Relatively
fewer of the women than of the men came to the city from other
parts of the United States. Among the younger workers the proportion of native Philadelphians is much higher than it is among
the older men and women. Two-thirds of those less than 30 years.
not quite half of those 30 to 44 years of age, and only onefourth of the oldest group, 60 years of age and over, were born
in Philadelphia.
Most of the men and women who were not born in Philadelphia
have, nevertheless, lived in the city for many years (table 7).
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
More than 40 percent of the whole group were born in Philadelphia,
and,inaddition, 13 percent came to the city before 1900. !twas
during the years 1905-14 that the largest proportion of outsiders,
both foreign-born and native-born, came to Philadelphia. About 30
percent of all workers in the sample who were not born in the city
came to Philadelphia during this decade. This was a period of
relative prosperity in the selected industries. One weaver who
came tothis city directly from England in1909 said, "Times were
good then. I came because I naturally had a roving disposition,
and I was only here a couple of days before I got myself a job."
Relatively fewer of the workers born outside of Philadelphia came
to the city between 1915 and 1924 than during the preceding decade. Only 9.5 percent of them came to the city in or after 1925.
EDUCATION
Most of the workers included in this study left school after
completing the 7th or 8th grade ( table 81.
The median school
grade completed by the whole group was 7. 8. About one-seventh of
the total number in the sample attended high school for 1 year or
longer, but only 8 of the 357 workers completed a high-school
course. On the other hand, very few (only 4.3 percent) reported
no formal schooling at all. The educational level of the women
was a little higher, on the average, than that of the men. Half
of them completed a little more than the 8th grade !8.2) in school.
The younger workers (those under 45 years of age) had slightly
higher educational attainments than those over that age. This is
to be expected since most of the younger workers are native
Philadelphians and were affected by the laws passed in Pennsylvania
in 1909 and1915 regulating the employment of children between the
ages of 14 and 16. Similar laws have also been passed in recent
years by most of the States and by most of the European countries.
In earlier years, as one of the older workers explained, "There
were no laws regulating the age at which children could work."
There is little difference between the educational attainments
of the workers when they are classified into three industrial
groups (table 81. A small proportion in each group reported no
formal education. A little less than one-half of the workers in
each industry completed the 7th or 8th grade. Most of the others
in each group left school after completing one of the lower elementary grades. A larger proportion of workers in the upholstery
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OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
15
industries than in either of the others at tended high school for
year or more.
1
ENTRANCE TD THE LABOR MARKET AND TD THE TEXTILE INDUSTRIES
The men and women in the study started to work as soon as
they quit school !table 9). Most of them, women as well as men,
starte,1 to work at 14 or 15 years of age. One of the older workers
was only 8 years old when he began to work, and several started
before they were 10. For the entire group the average age was
14.7 years. It is to be· expected that the older workers began
work at an earlier age than the younger workers; those 60 years
of age and over were 13.4 years old and those between L!-5 and 59
were 14. 2 years when they entered the labor market. Those between
the ages of 30 and 44, on the other hand, were almost 15 years
old when they began to work, and those under 30 years of age
were past 16 years. There was no important difference between
the ages of women and men in this respect.
The earliest date at which any worker in the study entered the
labor market was 1870. A small proportion I 4.Lj. percent) began
their first job before 1880 (table 4). More than one-third of
the whole group were working before 1900, and two-thirds of the
loom fixers were in the latter group. About half of the total
group studied entered the labor market in the two decades from
1900 to 1919, years of relative prosperity in the selected textile industries in Philadelphia. A negligible proportion of the
group studied entered after 1925.
The older workers recall vividly the ease with which they got
jobs during their early years in the labor market. "Years back,"
said one 65-year old worker, "a weaver could just go into a mill
and ask for a job." ''There was plenty of work then," said a
Philadelphia-born carpet weaver who started work in the 1880 1 s,
"and no oversupply of creelers or weavers. One mill would offer
you so cents more a week, and you would go wherever you could get
the most money. You did not have to look for a job. The mill
owners were looking for you." Another man said that in 1906 when
he got his first job, "The best trade was weaving. I just went
up to the mill one day and asked for a chance to become an apprentice. In a couple of weeks they called me."
Almost two-thirds of the men and women included in this study
entered the textile industry when they took their first jobs.
Economic pressure which had forced most of them to leave school
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
also forced them to take the first jobs they could !ind. The type
of work they obtained appears to have depended largely upon the
industries in the neighborhood rather than upon the conscious
preference or deliberate choice of the young worker for a particular trade. Most of the weavers and loom fixers were born in textile centers, either in the United States or Europe, and finding
no other work at hand, they entered the textile mills. A few of
them began work as weavers' apprentices, but most of them began
"at the bottom" asdoffers, bobbin boys, creelers, or handers-in,
or in similar occupations requiring little skill.
"There was a large family of younger children at ho~e," one man
explained
"My family was very poor, and we just had to find
work. It was easier to get work in the spinning mill than anywhere else." "I always lived in the Northeast," 2 said one weaver,
"and I guessitwasinthe books that I workintextiles." "I was
a Kensington girl'' seemed to one of the women weavers an adequate
explanation of her becoming a textile worker when she left school.
Family tradition was also an important factor in many instances.
"I come of a textile family", "weaving runs in the family", and
"my father was a weaver, and his father before him" are explanations which recur frequently, particularly on the records of the
older weavers from the textile centers of England.
The first jobs of the other third of the group were varied.
They included work on the breakers for boys who lived in the mine
regions, "minding the cows" and farm work for those who grew up
in country districts, and housework for some of the girls. There
were few white-collar jobs, however, and little evidence of any
definite bent or aptitude for a particular trade.
Very few members of the group served a formal apprenticeship,
although among theolder workers trained abroaddefinite training
for the trades of weaving and loom fixing seems to have been more
common than in the United States. Nearly one-seventh of the whole
group were trained abroad. But most of the weavers in this study
who did not serve a formal apprenticeship worked anywhere from 3
months to 12 or 14 years at less skilled occupations in the textile industry before they "had a chance at a loom." In England,
"You were not allowed to be a weaver until you were of age," one
weaver explained. For many years the carpet-weavers' union endorsed a similar regulation in Philadelphia carpet mills. Few of
2 The Northeast or the Kenslngton dlstrlct or Phlladelphla 1s the most lmportant
textile area 1n the clty.
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OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
these occupations were in the nature
17
of direct preparation for
the trades they were to follow later.
For the most part, young workers "picked up weaving" by observation, supplemented by a brief period of training at the time
of actual promotion. There were, however, some exceptions. One
man, aged 20, who had been a weaver for only a few months at
the time
of this stud?, said
it took him
only a few weeks to
learn thetrade. "You work with a weaver for about a week; then
you are on trial for about 2 weeks. If your work is satisfactory
during that time, you can continue on the loom. I was able to
make the grade." Others. hnwPver, insisted that it takes several
years to become a good weaver.
The loom fixers had more definite preparation for their trade
than did theweavers. Approximately two-thirds of them worked as
weavers before they became loom fixers. Almost one-fourth of them
learned loom fixing as a definite trade, without preliminary weaving experience. The others (a small groupl had worked in the
metal trades before becoming loom fixers; one of them had been a
skilled tool and die maker.
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AT WEAVING AND LOOM FIXING
Long years at one occupation are characteristic of employment
in the textile industry. "In England," one of the older weavers
said, ''a man learns to weave on one loom, and works on that same
loom, sometimes until he dies. Often a man works 65 years at
one loom." Although sufb long service at one plant is not common among the workers in this study, even among those born in
Philadelphia, the average experience reported is relatively lqng.
Most of the men and wcmen in this study had spent the greater
part of their working lives in textiles, many of them in the
same industry.
Several of them were still working in the mills in
which they had secured their first jobs. Others worked in one
mill until it closed down or the machinery was moved away. "I
worked at that mill," one weaver explained, "until my beam 3 was
taken away."
The statistical data on years spent at the usual occupation do
not include the time that workers spent inother textile occupations, except time spent as apprentices or helpers to the usual
occupation. The number of years spent by the entire group varied
3 A beam 1s the part or the loom on wh1ch the warp 1s wounct.
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
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from less than
1
year to 57 years, the average being 18.5 years.
For men weavers the average was 18.5 years; for women weavers, 15
years; and for loom fixers, 24.5 years ( table 10). The length of
time spent at the usual occupation naturally increased with the
age of the worker. Those 60 yearsof age and over had worked.an
average of nearly 37 years at their respective trades; those
under 30 had averaged only a little over 5~ yearsat their usual
occupation.
A cornparisonof the average time spent at their usual occupation
by workers in the three industries shows that the upholsterygoods workers spent a shorter timeat their trades, on the average, than the workers in the other two industrial groups (table
The carpet and rug workers spent almost 3 years longer, on
the average, at their respective trades than did the woolen and
worsted workers, although the average age of the latter group is
10).
higher. A larger proportion of the carpet and rug work.ers than
of the woolen and worsted workers, however, are 60 years of age
and over, and the long years of experience of these older workers
at the occupation raised the average for carpet and rug weavers
as a group.
The employment situation of the men and women considered in this
studywas affected, not only froTl' year to yearbut frequently from
month to month within a given year, by fluctuations in industrial
activity in the selected industries. Nevertheless, the longest
jobs reported on the schedules 4 tended to be of fairly long durat10n, 9.3 years being the median for the group as a whole (table
11).· Therewas little difference betweenmen and women in respect
to the length of time spent on the longest job. Perhaps data on
the length of
the longest jobs reported and the dates on which
these began offer fairly good evidence of the effects of the
prosperity of particular sections of a specialized labor market
on the work histories of workers.
More than half of the whole group began their longest jobs during the decade from 191610 1925, a period duringwhich the upholstery industrywas expanding, while the other two industries were
declining (table 11). The proportion of men who started their
longest jobs prior to
1916
is higher than the proportion of women.
Workers attached to the woolenandworsted industries in 1936 began their longest jobs prior to 1916 in larger numbers relatively
than did workers attached to the other two industries.
4 see ctertnltlons ln appendix B.
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OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
19
THE INCIDENCE OP UNEMPLOYMENT IN M~Y 1936
Not all of the men and women who are included in this study were
employed at their usual occupations in May 1936. A considerable
number of them were unemployed, and a small group were employed
at other occupations.
In this report their employment status as of that date is considered to be an indication of the relative degree of success
or failure which had at tended their efforts to maintain their
occupational status. Those who were employed at their usual occupations in May 1936 clearly had succeeded in the struggle, temporarily at any rate. Those who were employed at other jobs
had failed but had made a more or less satisfactory adjustment to
industrial changes. The unemployed had neither succeeded in
securing places for themselves in their usual labor market nor in
securing other jobs. The question arises: Is the employment status of the workers in these various groups altogether accidental,
or do the men and womep in one group differ in some respects
from those with a different employment status? Throughout this
report particular emphasis is placed upon a comparison of the
characteristics of the workers in these three groups inan att.empt
to determine, if possible, whether their recent employment experiences and the adjustments made by 19 36 can be accounted for by di ff erences in their occupational characteristics and industrial
experiences or whether these must be attributed to factors which
cannot be analyzed and evaluated statistically. Such factors as
personal traits, a "good break", or "bad luck" might be considered
in this category.
More than half (57.7 percent) of the men and women in this
sample reported that theywere employed at their usual occupation
in May 1936. A little less than 11+ percent were employed at some
type of work other than their usual occupation; 28.6 percent of
the whole group were unemployed ( table 3). These percentages are
determined, however, by the employment status of the men weavers
who predominate in the sample.
The rate of unemployment was
lower for loom fixers than for weavers and higher for women weavers than for men. Only 13.8 percent of the loom fixers but ~o
percent of the women weavers (18 out of a total of~~) were unemployed in May 1936. Less than half of the women weavers were
employed at their usual occupation, and a negligible number were
employed at other than their usual occupation.
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20
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
A larger proportion of the loom fixers than of the weavers were
employed at some type of work other than their usual occupation,
most of them as weavers. The loom fixers themselves considered
that they had definitely gone down the scale in skill in accepting work as weavers, but weaving of the type they did is usually
considered skilled work. About one-fourth of the weavers who were
employed at other occupations were also employed in the textile
industries. With the single exceptionof a young man who had recently received his promotion to the statusof loom fixer, all of
the weavers in this group were employed at less skilled occupations, such as creeling or spinning, and at unskilled labor. All
of the workers so employed were men.
There was a higher rate of unemployment among the upholsterygoods workers than among the workers in either of the other
industrial groups (table 3). Those who considered themselves
customarily attached to the carpet and rug industry had the highest rate of employment at their usual occupation. The women
weavers in the upholstery industry, however, reported a much
higher percentage of employment at their usual occupation than
did the women in the woolen and worsted industry or in the sample
as a whole. Loom fixers whose usual employment had been in the
woolen and worsted industry reported no unemployment.
The importance of age in relation to general problems of unemployment is now fairly universally recognized. Its significance
as an employment handicap to skilled workers, however, needs
further analysis.
Differences of opinion on this matter are
reflected in the comments of workers interviewed for this study.
One man was 63 years old when this study was made, but despite
his age he was one of those employed in May 1936. "I'm an oldtimer in Kensington and I'm pretty well known," he explained. "I
don't havemuch trouble getting work." Another worker, however,
who was 65 years old, said, "I have tried everywhere to get work
but theyall say I'mtooold." A third man, whowasonly q8 years
old, also said he had been refused jobs because he was "too old."
When one loom fixer aged 59 lost his job, he was unable to get
another - because of his age - he claimed. By understating his
age, he finally succeeded in getting a job as a weaver in a mill
where he was not known.
The data concerning age in relation to the employment status of
weavers .1nd loom fixers in 1936 are presented in figure 3 and
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OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
21
table 12. These show that more than half (55 percent) of those
who were employed at _their usual occupation in May 1936 were under
45 years of age. Their average age was 43.7 years. A somewhat
larger proportion ( 59 percent) of those who were employed at other
Plgar1 3,- ABE DP WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS BY EMPLOYMENT STATUS
IN MAY 1936
PERCENT
20_
PERCENT
_20
EMPLOYED AT USUAL OCCUPATION
10_::
: __10
I
15
EMPLOYED AT OTHER OCCUPATIONS
20_
_20
10_::
::_10
I
15
I
20
25
30
35
I
40
45
50
---__J
I
!>!>
110
6!>
I
I
75
80
UNEMPLOYED
20_
::_o
I
70
_20
::_10
o_::'-----_ _
::_o
I
I
I
I
I
I!>
20
2!>
30
3!>
S11 table 12 for
I
40
4!>
50
!>5
AGE IN YEARS
60
I
I
t
I
II!>
70
7!>
110
H.W.D.
data.
WPA- National
R1s1arch Project
P-13
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22
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
occupations were also less than 45 years of age. They were, on an
average, 42.5 years old. Those who were unemployedat that time
were considerably older than either of the employed groups, having
an average age of nearly 51.
In both of the groups of employed workers and also in the group
of those who were unemployed, the loom fixers are older than the
weavers, but women weavers are younger than men weavers. The
women weavers who were employed at their usual occupation were not
much younger, however, than the men so employed. Unemployed women
as a gronp, however, were considerably younger than unemployed
men. They were also yonnger by 2 years than the women who were
employed at their usual occupation.
The loom fixerswho were employedat theirusual occupation were
older than the weavers in this group, with an average age of 49,
but much younger than the unemployed lool'! fixers who were, on the
average, 60 years of age. The loom fixers who were employed at
types of work other than loom fixing, mostly weaving, WE re older
than the unemployed loom fixers.
All three employment-status groups include some workers at practically every age level. The greatest concentration of numbers,
however, occurs at a different age level in each of the three
groups. Nearly 60 percent of those employed at their usual occupat ior are between the ages of 30 and 49. Almost 60 percent of
those who were employed at other types of work are under 45 years
of age. About the same proportion of those who were unemployed
are 45 years of age and over.
These data suggest that upto the age of 55 or even 60. age in
itself did not constitute a serious handicap to skilled weavers
and loom fixers in the industries studied but that older weavers
who were displaced from these industries experienced greater difficulty in finding employment than did the younger weavers. The
high average age of the loom fixers who were employed at other
typesof work indicates that age may not beso important as other
factors in the employment situation of this group of skilled
textile workers.
When the incidence of employment is examined in each group, it
is found that a la:ger proportion of the workers in the younger
age groups than of the sample as a whole were employed at their
usual occupation (table 12). When the sample is classified into
broadage groups, the proportionof the employed to the total not
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OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
23
only does not diminish but tends to increase as the age level
rises, until the oldest age group, the group which includes workers Go years of ageandover, is reached. Atthispoint there is
a sharp drop in the rate of employment at the usual occupation.
Only among workers under 30 years of age, however, is there much
employment at other occupations. A much higher proportion of
workers in this age group than of workers in the whole sample
reported employment at other work in May 1936. It is interesting
to note, however, that persons 60 yearsof age and over had more
employment at other occupations than those from 45 to 59 years
of age.
When these dataare considered for men and women separately, we
find that the rate of employment and unemployment for the men in
various age groups follows the pattern of the rates for all the
workers in the sample who are included in the same age groups.
The relationship of age to the employment and unemployment of
women is less consistent. The small number of women in the sampl~
and the fact that their work may have been of a different character from that of the men probably account for this difference.
There are no important differences in the incidence of unemployment in relation to the nativity or general educational attainments of the workers studied. Although there was a higher rate of
unemployment among thosewho had entered the labor market in the
early periods, this probably reflects age differences in the different employment-status groups. No further data are presented
on the incidence of employment and unemployment in May 1936.
Certain data concerning the experiences of those who were employed at other than the usual occupation or were unemployed in
1936, however, are worth noting. One point of importance is the
year in which they lost the last job at what they considered their
usual occupation. Over half of the total groupof 49 persons who
were employed at other occupations in 1936 had lost their last
jobs at weaving and loom fixing before1931 (table 13). Twice as
many workers who had formerly been employed in the carpet and rug
industry, however, as in the other industries had left weaving and
loom fixing before 1931. Those who were unemployed in 1936, on
the other hand, had lost their last jobs at weaving or loom fixing
more recently. About three-fifths of the total group of 102 had
lost these jobs between 1933 and 1936. More woolen and worsted
and carpet and rug workers than upholstery-goods workers were in
this group in proportion to their total numbers.
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24
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
Those who were unemployed in 1936 had had a longer experience
at their occupations, on the average, than thosewho were employed
at weaving or loom fixing and those who had shifted their occupations in 1936 (table 24). This difference is, however, partly
attributable to the higher ages of the unemployed group.
The group of persons who were working at some occupation other
than their usual one in 1936 was composed of 41 weaversand 8 loom
fixers. They were then employed in a great varietyof occupations
(table 14). Five of the loom fixerswereemployed as weavers and
one weaver as a loom fixer, but the majority of the weavers were
employed in semiskilled and unskilled occupations. Of those who
were found unemployed in May 1936, the great majority had last
been employed at their usual occupation (table 15).
THE UNEMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE DP THOSE UNEMPLOYED
IN MAY 1936
The weavers and loom fixers unemployed in May 1936 had been out
of work for varying periods of time. Six had lost their last jobs
of 1 month's duration or longer, in the month of May 1936. Onefifth of the remainder had lost their jobs between January and
May 1936 ( table 16). Over one-fourth had lost their last jobs
during 1935. The average memberof this group, however, had been
out of a job for about 1 ½ years.
Men weavers had been out of
work longer than women weavers. Carpet and rug workers had been
out of work, on the average, the longest, and woolen and worsted
workers the shortest periods of time (table 16).
When duration of unemployment from the last job was examined in
relation to age, it was found that workers under 45 years of age
had been out of work for about one-half as long a period as workers 45 years of age and over ( table 16). The average duration of
unemployment for those 45 years of age and over was 10 months
longer than the average for the whole group. Stating this another
way, the average age of those who had been unemployed for more
than the average time for the entire group was 54 years, and the
average ageof those unemployed less than the average for the entire group was 46years. It will be recalled that the average age
of all unemployed workers was 51 years. This confirms earlier
findings of this study with regard to the significance of age as
a handicap to weavers and loom fixers once they become unemployed.
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OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
25
The group who were unemployed in May 1936 (29 percent of the
total studied) contributed ~8 percent of the total unemployment
reported during the 10-year period, 1926-35. They contributed ~2
percent of the unemployment reported in the first half and so percent of the unemployment reported in the second half of the period
studied. This previous unemployment experience was found to be
related to the length of time the workers of the group had been
out of work, from their last jobs to May 1936. The aggregate
number of monthsof unemployment reported in the 10-year period,
1926-35, the average length of such unemployment periods, and
the length of the longest period were all related to the length
of time workers who were unemployed in 1936 had been out frorn
their last jobs (table 17). 6
A check was made in May 1937, when the Philadelphia Survey of
Employment and Unemployment was again conducted, to discover
how many of the weavers who had been unemployed in May 1936 had
secured employment by May 1937. Twenty-six of the 102 who had
been unemployed in 1936 could not be located in the following
year. Of the group who were located, 3~ persons ( ~S percent l
were unemployed or working on the emergency Works Program, 1~
(18 percent) were not seeking work, and 28 (37 percent) were
employed in private industry. Of the latter group, 23 were employedat weaving and loom fixing. These data substantiate other
findings that the group of weavers and loom fixers unemployed
in the recovery years was dominated by a number of men and women
who had been unemployed for a relatively long period of time,
although there was also found a small group who had been unemployed for only a short period and was soon reabsorbed into jobs.
Those who were unemployed both in 1936 and 1937 were older than
those who had obtained jobs by 1937.
SUr+tARY
The weavers and loom fixers studied are among the most skilled
workers employed in the production of the textile fabrics for
which Philadelphia is a noted center. Less than one-half of the
6 correlat1on coerr1c1ents computed !or
the data in this table gave the rollowing results:
(a) Duration or unemployment to total months or unemployment, 1926-36:
r = . 76 :!: •04.
(b) Duration or unemployment to average length or unemployment per1ods,
1926-36: r = .92 :!: .02.
(c) Duration or unemployment to length or longest per1od or unemployment,
1926-36: r = .67 :! .02.
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26
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
group were attached to the labor market of the upholstery-goods
industry in 1936. A third were carpet and rug workers, and over
one-fifth were woolen and worsted weavers and loom fixers.
The average ageof the group was high; the weavers wereq.q. years
old and the loom fixers 57 years old, on the average. Two-thirds
of the men in the study and over half of the women were q.o years
of age or older. Among the older workers there was a higher proportion of foreign-born persons, al though the majority of the
entire group were native-born.
Most of the weavers and loom fixers had lived in Philadelphia
for many years and had worked in the textile industries the greater
part of their working lives. They had therefore had a relatively long experience of a highly specialized character. Men
weavers averaged 18½ years at the occupation, and women weavers
15 years. Loom fixers had spent, on the average, 211-½ years at
this occupation. Furthermore, most workers had spent ,i.ddi tional
years at other textile occupations. The longest jobs reported by
weavers and loom fixers averaged over 9 years. Most of these jobs
of longest duration were started during the decade 1916-25.
The educational attainments of the group reflected the ages of
the workers and the legislation in force at the time they had left
school to go to work. Younger workers had had more schooling than
older workers. Women had had a slightly better education than had
men. There was little if any difference between workers in the
three industries in which the weavers and loom fixers were normally
employed.
The average worker in this study had started work at the age of
111-or 15. About half of the entire group entered the labor market
between 1900 and 1919, yearsof relative prosperity in the industries selected for study. Almost two-thirds of the group entered
the textile industry when they took their first jobs.
At the time of study in the spring of 1936, 29 percent of the
group were unemployed and 1 q. percent were employed at some occupation other than their usual one. Most of the latter group were
young, and they had lost or left their last jobs at weaving and
loom fixing before 1931. Thosewho were unemployed,on the other
hand, were considerably older, and three-fifthsof them had lost
their last jobs between 1933 and 1936. The average unemployed
weaver or loom fixer was 51 years of age, in contrast to an average of q.q. years for those who were employed at weaving and loom
fixing in May 1936.
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OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
27
The average memberof the group who was unemployed in 1936 had
been out of a job about ii years, although one-tenth had been
unemployed as long as 5 years. Those who were unemployed in 1936
contributed about half of the aggregate unemployment reported by
the entire group in the 10 years from 1926 to 1935. That this
unemployment was not distributed overt he entire group is attested
to by the fact that one-third of the weavers and loom fixers
studied reported no unemployment lasting a month or longer in
the decade 1926-35. A larger proportion of loom fixers than of
weavers were in this category. A detailed analysis of the 10-year
employment and unemployment experience of the workers studied
constitutes the basis of the following sections of this report.
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SECTION III
EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE
IN THE 1O-YEAR PERIOD, 1926-35
The preceding sections have described the social and industrial
characteristics of the weavers and loom fixers in the sample as
they appeared in May 1936. The general trends of employment in
the three selected industries have also been discussed. This
section presents an analysis of the work experience of the group
as a whole in the 10 years from 1926 to 1935.
The major points to be considered are the volume of employment
and unemployment during the decade, the number and length of
unemployment periods, and the incidence of unemployment. As in
the earlier sections, the behavior of the group as a whole will
be differentiated with respect to age, usual occupation and industry, and employment status in May 1936.
TRENDS IN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Figure 4 shows the 10-year work history of each weaver in the
three selected industries, who reported that he was unemployed
1 or more months during that time. 1 Four facts evident in this
chart and supported by the statistical measures to be presented
in this section are: first, in spite of the general decline in
employment in these industries in Philadelphia since the early
part of the 192o's, unemployment among the group of workers in
this study was negligible until 1930 when it increased rapidly
until 1933, remained high in 1934, and showed little decrease
in 1935; second, unemployment was very unevenly distributed over
the group of workers; third, long unemployment periods, lasting
morethana year, weremorecommon than shortorseasonal periods;
and fourth, the relative volume of employment and unemployment
was about the same in all three indu-stries. An important fact
not shown on the chart is that 20 of the 68 weavers attached to
the manufacture of woolen and worsted goods, 37 of the 109 attached to the manufacture of carpets and rugs, and 54 of the 151
1Loom fixers, who numbered 8 percent or the sample and correspondingly small
proportions or each or the industrial groups, are a negligible proportion
and have been omitted from figure 4.
28
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Figure 4.- EMPLOYMENT HISTORY OF INDIVIDUAL WEAVERS
IN TKREE TEXTILE INDUSTRIES
JANUARY 1926-DECEMBER 193S
Ranked by amount of total unemployment
WOOLEN AND WORSTED GOODS
NUi■ [A
NLN.iCR
~
~
30;
~
~
~
10:
µ.o.
lL
CARPETS AND RUGS
UPHOLSTERY GOODS
-
c:J
~ U M[hi!P LOYCO
(lr.lP LOYCO
NOT
S[[KING WORK
tAOi LINC RcPRCSCNTS TH[ HI STOA't' Of' AN INDIVIDUAL WORf\CA WH O ACPORT(D OHC MONTH OR MOR[ Of UNC.MPLOYMCNT
Oat a are ln f Iles
of P hi la de lp hla Labor Marktt
Studies
Natlonal
S ect lo r, ,
wp,1. -
lndustr lal
Research
H.'#...0.
De partment
-
University of Pennsy lv•n i a and
WPA -Natlonal
Research Project
Resear ch Pro j ect.
P-1•
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30
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
attached to the manufactureof upholstery goods (i. e., approximately one-third of each industrial group) reported no continuous
unemployment lasting as long as 1 month in the 10-year period.
The volume of employment and unemployment is shown more concretely for the group in figure 5 and table 18. In every month
of the first 3 years, 1926 to 1928, between 280 and 290 of the
357 weavers and loom fixers were employed in the three selected
industries. In 1929, when the number showed a small decline,
the persons employed in other industries showed a small increase
so that the total volume of employment remained about the same.
But when the number employed in the three industries continued to
decline in 1930, the number employed in other industries did not
continue to expand, and in August 1930, for the first time in the
period selected, more than 15 percent of the group were unemployed.
From then on the number unemployed grew almost continuously until
May 1933 when it included 29 percent of the weavers and loom fixers in the study. In the summer of 1933 unemployment showed a
sharp decline but rose again in the summer of 193~ and then declined in more orderly fashion, although in no month from May
19 33 to December 19 35 was the number unemployed less than 22
percentofthe sample. Employment in 1935wasvery little higher
than in 1932.
The number of persons employed in industries other than the
three selected ones continued high in 1931 and during the early
part of 1932, then decreased slightly, and remained almost constant until the endof 1935. The volume of makeshift employment,
to which weavers and loom fixers had resorted long before the
depression beginning in 1929, was surprisingly steady in the worst
years of the decline. The trend in the number of persons not
seeking work, i. e., those temporarily not seeking work because
of illness, home duties, strikes, etc., was irregularly downward during the 10 years and was never greater than 6 percent
of the total group. The general trend in employment for the
group can be summarized in the statement that 102 of the 357
weavers and loom fixers were unemployed and looking for work in
May 1936 ( the control date of the study) compared with only 7
in May 1926 ( i. e., 10 years earlier) and with 105 in May 1933
(the low point of the depression for the sample).
Practically the same pictureof employment and unemployment is
found in eachof the three selected industries shown in figure 62
2As ln flgure 4, loom flxers have been omitted rrom figure e.
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Ftgar1 5 . - EMPLOYMENT STATUS OF WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
BY MONTHS, JANUARY 1926-DECEMBER 1935
.......
Ml"OUCMol5
I
192s ,
m
H
I
EMPL0'1'£0 IN TM[ S[L(CT[D tNOVS"TRICS
[WPLOYCO IN OTH[R
1931
1930
1927
~
1932
D
UN[tr.tPLO'r[D
INOUSTllll[S
See !abie 18 fo r d a t a .
1933
NOT S[[I\I NCi
WO"-K
.
Industrial R ese ar ch Oepa r t ffl e nt Urilv ersi ty of Pen nsy l.,, a n i a and
WP A -
NI t i On I I Rt se a r
C.
h P r O j e Ct
P-1,
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32
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
and tables 19-21. The volume of unemployment increased slowly
from 1926 to 1930. then rapidly to 1933, and showed very little
decline by the end of 1935. In all three groups the number of
persons employed at occupations other than their usual one. which
generally means employed in industries other than the usual, 3 was
fairly constant throughout the period and was at a maximum in the
3 years 1929 to 1931.
Between 1926 and 1933 employment at the usual occupation declined most among woolen- and worsted-goods workers and least
among carpet and rug workers, al though the differences between
the three groups were not great. The pick-up between 1933 and
1935 was least in the upholstery-goods industry and greatest in
the woolen and worsted industry. Thenet result of these changes,
as pictured in this study,was approximately a 25-percent shrinkage in employment in upholstery-goods manufacturing between 1926
and 1935 and more than
a 15-percent reduction in woolen- and
worsted-goods and carpet and rug manufacturing. On the whole, the
general trends in the three industries were very much the same.
Employment turned downward in carpets and rugs in 1929 and in
woolen and worsted and upholstery goods in 1930. Likewise the
low points were reached in carpets and rugs and woolens and worsteds in 1932 and in upholstery goodsin 1933. These industrial
differences were slight, and since the weavers and loom fixers in
the upholstery-goods industry form about one-half of the sample,
the behavior of the total group .resembles that of upholstery-goods
workers more than that of the other two groups. Because of the
similarity of the general employment experience of the three
groups of workers in the 10 years, very few of the measures of
employment and unemployment to be 'discussed in this section will
be analyzed by usual industry.
TOTAL EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT, 1926-!5
The amount of employment and unemployment in the 10-year period
reported by individual workers varied widely, but the average
amount of employment for the total group was surprisingly high in
view of the cyclical decline in all types of employment and the
general decline in the textile industries in Philadelphia since
the middleof the 1920 decade. From 1926 to 1935 the group as a
whole was eITirloyed 81
.2
percent of the time I figure 7 and table 22).
3
A spec lal count showed that only 26. 1 percent or the employment at other
occupatlons was In the 3 selected Industries, and most or this 26.1 percent
occurred In the early part or the 10 years.
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Pigur1 6.- EMPLOYJl(ENT STATUS OP WEAVERS
IN THREE TEXTILE INDUSTRIES
JANUARY 1928-DECIMBER 1935
=
WOOLEN AND WORSTED GOODS
::..Q.
CARPETS
AND
RUGS
UPHOLSTERY GOODS
~
1
=-
:J20
:..Q.
.a..:
-
(Wf'\.OYlO
~ DIP\.O't't:D
Data are
AT USUAL
In f i \es
lab o r Market
Studies S e ct ion, WPANation al Research Pr oj e c t.·
of
r2ZZJ UN[Wl'LOT[0
occul'...TION
AT OTNUI. OC:CtJP•TtOllla
Phi l adelphia
C:::JNOY MIUUIIIGWCIRA
I ndustr J al Research Depar t ment University o f Pennsylvan i a and
WPA- Nati o nal
Resear c h Project
P-16
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
34
The i'l.Verage worker in the study was employed at his usual occupation for 6 years and 6 months and at other occupations for
1 year and 7 months; for i+ months he was out of the labor market;
and for 1 year and 7 months he was unemployed and seeking work.
Between the first and second 5 years of the 10-year period there
was little difference in the number of months of employment at
occupations other than the usual or in the number of months not
seeking work. Rut in the first s years the average worker was
employed at his usual occupation for 3 years and 8 months and
unemployed for i+ months, whereas in the second 5 yearshewas employed at his usual occupation for only 2 years and 10 months and
unemployed for 1 year and 3 months. From these figures it appears
that opportunity for employment at occupations other than the
usual one was not reduced in the depression years, although the
amount of employment at the customary occupation was almost 1 year
less in the S years following 1930 than in the preceding 5 years.
The net result was that the average amount of unemployment in the
second half of the 10-year period was almost four times as great
as in the first half.
7.- PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIFIED
TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE, 1926-35
BY EMPLOYMENT STATUS IN MAY 1936
Flgur ■
o
PERCENT OF TOTAL Tl ME, ltZ&-3~
~
~
~
~
~
~
ro
~
~
~
ALL WEAVERS AND
LOOM FIXERS
THOSE EMPLOYED AT USUAL
OCCUPATION IN MAY 1936
THOSE EMPLOYED AT OTHER
OCCUPATIONS IN MAY 1936
THOSE UNEMPLOYED
IN MAY 1936
I---
o
--+--- ---+----+---+--+--->-------,----+--+--<
10
20
30
,c.o
e,o
eo
10
eo
eo
100
PERCENT OF TOTAL TIME,1928-3~
-
EMPLOYED AT USUAL OCCUPATION
~
EMPLOYED
AT OTHER OCCUPATIONS
D
D
UNEMPLOYED
NOT
SEEKING WORK
H.W.O.
See
table
23
for
data.
Industrial Researc~ Oepar:mer.t University of Pennsylvania and
WPA.- National
Rest1arch
Pru 1 e:::.".
P-1/
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EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE
35
The average employment and unemployment experience of the group
is determined by the experience of the men weavers who constitute
four-fifths of the sample. The loom fixers and women weavers show
slight but interesting variations. The loom fixers spent a little
less time and the women weavers considerably more time not seeking
work than the average worker in the sample. The proportions of
men and women who reported time not seeking work before entering
the labor market were about the same ( table 25). However, 25
percent of the women, compared with 15 percent of the men, reported time not seeking work after entering the labor market.
Women workers, more than half of whom were married, widowed, or
.divorced, commonly leave the labor market for brief periods when
theyaremarried or when home duties become urgent. As might be
expected, practically all of the time not seeking work before
entering the labor market was reported by workers under 30 years
of age. Even after they had found their first job, about twice
as many of the youngest workers as of those 30 years of age and
over reported time out of the labor market. Loom fixers found
more employment at occupations other than the usual in the 10
years, and women weavers found considerably less supplementary
employment between 1926 and 19 30 than the average worker. Throughout the 10 years loom fixers experienced less unemployment than
the average worker, and women weavers in the second 5 years reduced their unemployed time either by leaving the labor market
or by finding work at occupations other than their usual one.
Industrially the workers show slighter differences than occupationally. Carpet and rug workers had less employment at the
usual occupation and alittlemoreemployment at other occupations.
Upholstery workers had a littlemore employment at the usual occupation and a little less at other occupations. All three groups
averaged about the same amount of unemployment, and upholstery
workers had a little more time out of the labor market than the
other groups. The statistical measures of table 23 summarize
the general trends of figure 7.
The data on part-time employment reveal that almost one-third
of the total employment in the 10 years was part-time work. One
carpet weaver now q8 years of age, reported that all his work during the 10-year period was part-time. Except for one strike, he
had had a steady job from 1917 to 1924. At that time he was put
on part-time work which lasted for 3 years before he was laid
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36
WEAVERS AND
LOOM
FIXERS
off. Although he got another job immediately, it was not fulltime work. In 193.2 this mill shut down completely, and he was
unemployed for 1 year before he secured another job. This work,
also part-time, lasted until June 1936.
The data on part-time employment are presented ia table 26 and
are probably the least reliable figures in the study, because
during the course of the field work it was found that the persons
interviewed had more difficulty in recalling the dates when they
had worked short weeksor short days than in recalling any other
i tern recorded on the schedule. Women weavers reported less parttime employment in the 10 years than the men weavers. The loom
fixers reported the least part-time employment in the group and
more than a year more of full-time employment than the weavers.
JOBS AT THE USUAL AND AT OTHER OCCUPATIONS
Jobs at the usual occupation accounted for four-fifths of the
employment in the 10-year period. On the average these jobs
lasted 3 yearsand 1 month (table 27). Theywereslightly longer
for the group employed at the usual occupation in May 19 36 and 8
months shorter than the average for those employed at occupations
other than the usual in May 1936. The group employed at makeshift jobs in the spring of 1936 not only had less employment as
weavers and loom fixers in the 10 years, but their jobs at these
occupations were of shorter duration than those of other weavers
and loom fixers. It is interesting to note that 30 weavers and
s loom fixers, i. e., 9.8 percent of the sample, held a job at
their usual occupation which lasted continuously through the 10
years with no lay-off lasting as long as 1 month. On the other
hand, there were three weavers and one loom fixer who had no
employment at the usual occupation during the 10 years. Two of
these lost their last jobs at the usual occupation before 1926,
and the other two were young workers who did not find jobs at
the usual occupation until the early part of 1936, i. e., after
the 10-year period.
Although no tabulation was made of the length of service on
jobs at occupations other than the usual one, the following computation can be derived from tables presented in appendix A:
Average time employed at the usual
78.6 months
occupation
Average length of each job at the
1+6,0 months
usual occupation
:. Average number of jobs at the usual
occupation
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EMPLOYME-NT AND UNEMPLOYMENT EXPER !ENCE
Average number of job separations
Average number of jobs held 4
:. Average number of jobs at occupations
other than the usual
Average time employed at occupations
other than the usual
:. Average length of each job at occupations other than the usual
37
2.5
3.2
1.5
18.9 months
12.6 months
This shows that jobsat occupations other than the usual were of
shorter duration than those at the usual occupation and on the
average lasted about one-fourth as long.
INCIDENCE OP UNEMPLOYMENT
It has been slwwn that the incidenceof unemployment in 1936 was
.
related to industry,
and there is indirect evidence that this was
.
true for total unemployment during the 10 years under review. In
this section it will be shown that age and employment status in
May 1936 were related to employment experience during the entire
period.
During the 10 years studied, workers who were 45 years of age
and over in May 19 36 were unemployed half again as long as workers
under 45 ( table 23). Alinost four-fifths of the unemployment
occurred in the second half of the decade when those45 years of
age and over averaged 1 ! years of unemployment and younger workers
averaged only 1 year.
An examination of table 23 reveals that employment status in
May 1936 was not pure chance but that those who were employed
at their usual occupation in May 1936 reported more employment
at the usual occupation in the 10 years than other individuals;
those who were employed at other occupations in May 1936 reported
more employment at other occupations in the 10 years; and those
who were unemployed in May 19 36 reported more unemployment in the
10 years than other individuals. The unemployed in May 1936 also
reported more time out of the labor market than the other groups.
The above observations were true in each of the 5-year periods
and were most pronounced in the years 1931-35. Although the
total unemployment in the 10 years was shared among 64. 4 percent
of the sample, a count of the total man-months of unemployment
showed that the unemployed in May 1936, who were 28.6 percent of
the sample, reported 48.3 percent of the unemployment in the dee4wtth the exception or the 102 workers who were unemployed or not seeklng
work ln December 1935, all persons held 1 Job more than the number or Job
separations reported.
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
ade. Thosewho were employed in Hay 1936 averaged only 6 months
less employment between 1931 and 1935 than between 1926and 1930,
whereas the unemployed in May 1936 averaged 1 year and 8 months
less employment in the second period. It was also found that
those who were unemployed in May 1936 had part-time work, which
is also part-time unemployment, during a slightly higher proportion of their employed time than the other groups (table 261.
Unemployment was not only unequally distributed among various
groups in the sample but was also unequally distributed among
the individuals in each of the groups. About one-third of the
weavers and more than one-half of the loom fixers reported no
continuous unemployment lasting 1 month or longer between 1926
and 1935 (table 28). At the other end of the range, 7.0 percent
of the weavers and 6.8 percent of the loom fixers reported more
than 5 years of unemployment: i. e., they were unemployed more
than one-half of the time. When the distribution of unemployment
is examined in relationtoage !table 281,it is foundthatalmost
equal proportions of each age group reported no unemployment,
but that of those reporting more than 5 years of unemployment,
80.0 percent were 45 years of age or older, although workers of
this age comprised only Ll,8.2 percent of the sample.
Of those who were unemployed in May 1936, only 13.7 percent
reported no unemployment in the 10 years compared with 35. 6 percent of the total sample I table 29). Furthermore, 17.7 percent
of the unemployed in May 1936, in contrast to only 7.0 percent
of the total sample, were unemployed more than half of the time
in the 10-year period. The number of persons who reported no
unemployment was considerably smaller in the second 5 years than
in the first 5 years, especially among those unemployed in May
1936 I table 30). Only 2.5 percent of the sample were unemployed
more than half of the time in the first 5 years in comparison
with 19.9 percent in the second 5 years. _The corresponding percentages for those unemployed in May 1936 were 5.9 and 38.2
respectively.
NUMBER AND LENBTK DP UNEMPLOYMENT PERIODS
The unemployment reported in the 10-year period was distributed
among 64. 4 percent of the sample and amounted to 24.0 percent of
their total time. That unemployment periods were not numerous,
as suggested in figure 4, is borne out in the tabulations of table
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EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE
39
31. One-third of the sample had no unemployment periods, and
another third had only one period of unemployment between 1926
and 1935.
The experiences of two plush weavers are typical of workers
who had only one periodof unemployment, with the period lasting
for several years. Mr. S. , 36 years of age, had had a variety
of experience before he became a weaver and then worked as a
weaver for one company for 8 years. After this mill shut down
in 1930, he was unable to find any kind of work until the summer
of 1935. At that time he secured a job as a weaver and was still
employed at the time he was interviewed. Mr. D., also 36 years
of age, began to work in textiles at the age of 14 and after 3
years left the industry. Six years later he became a weaver and
workedforone millfor7 years, until it moved from Philadelphia
in 1930. For 3 years Mr. D. could not find any work but in the
summer of 19 33 secured a weaving job at which he is st ill employed.
although the work is sometimes not full-time.
Among the loom fixers more than half had no unemployment, and
one-third had only one period of unemployment. No loom fixer
and only 8.9 percent of the weavers had more than three periods
of unemployment. There was little difference between the men
and women weavers in the number of unemployment periods, except
that fewer women had only one period and more women had two periods. In the higher frequencies the differences between men and
women disappear.
The relatively small number of unemployment periods confirms
the findings of other data in this section. In table 31 it is
apparent that more woolen- and worsted-goods workers reported some
_unemployment, and proportionally they reported more periods of
unemployment than the other two groups. The percentages reporting
three or more periods were 23.6, 14.8, and 9.1 respectively for
woolen- and worsted-goods, carpet and rug, and upholstery-goods
workers. These percentages are in reverse order of the proportions
in each industry reporting two periods of unemployment, which
seems to be the point at which industrial differentiation occurs.
About the same proportionof each of the four age groups reported
no period of unemployment in the 10 years, but the proportion
of those reporting only one period increased with age, and the
proportion reporting two periods decreased with age (table 31).
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
Persons reporting three or more periods were scattered and not
concentrated in any age group.
The equal sharing of work in periods of unemployment was the
established policy of Philadelphia upholstery mills for most of
the years covered by th is survey and of some of the carpet and
rug mills.
The fact that this is not reflected to a greater
extent in the findings of this study is the result of the number
of permanent lay-offs which occurred during the period studied.
Some mills moved out of town or closed permanently during this
period.
Those who were unemployed in May 1936, although they suffered
a disproportionate share of the 10-year unemployment, did not
report an excessive number of unemployment periods !table 32).
Table 32 shows clearly that a large amount of unemployment was
not necessarily associated with a high number of unemployment
periods.
On an occupational basis fewer loom fixers than weavers were
unemployed during the 10 years, and because more than half the
loom fixers were not unemployed at any time, the average length
of unemployment periods for loom fixers was slightly less than
1 month ( table 33). The few loom fixers who were unemployed,
however, were out of work for as long periods as the weavers in
the sample. Among the weavers the women had slightly shorter
periods of unemployment than the men.
The average length of unemployment periods increases with age
and for those 60 years of age and over, the average unemployment
period is twice as long as for those under 30 years of age ( table
33). Although the chances of older workers becoming unemployed
are no greater than those of younger workers, nevertheless older
workers who are unemployed have greater difficulty in finding
jobs than younger workers.
As might be anticipated, the unemployed in May 1936, who suffered a disproportionate share of the unemployment in the 10 years
but did not experience an excessive number of unemployment periods,
reported much longer periods of unemployment than the average
length for the sample ( table 34). In fact, the average of their
periods was about four times as long as the average for other
workers in the study. This difference is partly explained by the
few workers in the group unemployed in May 1936 who were not
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EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE
41
unemployed during the 10 years, compared with more than two-fifths
of the workers in the other groups who had no unemployment.
The average length of the longest period of unemployment was
less than 1 month longer than the average lengthof all unemploywent periods reported in the 10-year period (table 36). The
similarity of these two measures is explained by the fact that
one-third of the sample had no unemployment and slightly less
than one-third had more than one period of unemployment. When
the persons reporting no unemployment are excluded from the computations, the average length of the longest period of unemployment becomes 17.1 months compared with 12.8 months, the average
length of all unemployment periods. It has already been pointed
out that those who were unemployed in May 1936 were characterized
by long periods of unemployment. By wayof contrast, their longest period of unemployment ( for those reporting unemployment during the 10 years} averaged 24.1 months in comparison with 13.7
wonths for other workers who reported some unemployment.
The dates at which individuals began their longest period of
unemployment were not heavily concentrated in any one year ( table
36). A few more persons began their longest period in 1933 than
in any other year, although the numbers in each of the 5 years
1930-34 were approximately equal. It is significant that among
those unemployed in May 1936, many of whom had been out of work
for several years, one-fifth did not begin their longest period
of unemployment until 1935.
In section II it was pointed out that the 102 individuals who
constituted the unemployed section of the labor market in May 1936
had been out of work for varying periods of time. Twenty-seven
workers did not lose their last job until 1936, i. e., after the
10 years for which work histories were obtained ( table 16).
Another 27 lost their last job from 5 to 16 months before May
1936, i. e., in 1935, and the rest lost their last job in 1934
or earlier. The average du rat ion of unemployment since the last
job for the groupof 102 was 15.9 months, which was two and onehalf times as long as the average length of all unemployment
periods during the
10
years for the total sample.
The average duration of unemployment for those 45 years of age
and older was almost twice as long as for those in the 30- to
44-year age group. The table of duration of unemployment by usual
industry ( table 16) shows that the unemployed carpet and rug workDigitized by
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42
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
ers had been without jobs half again as long as individuals in
the other two industries. This higher average appears to be the
result of relatively fewer carpet and rug workers becoming unemployed in 1935 and 1936, more becoming unemployed in 1931+, and
the presenceof a few workers who had been unemployed a long time.
In the second 5 years more persons experienced unemployment,
and their average period of unemployment was longer. For those
reporting unemployment, it lasted 12.8 months in contrast to 6.6
months for the corresponding group in the first 5years (table 35).
By the close of the 1926-35 decade the labor market of weavers
and loom fixers in Philadelphia had a surplus of unemployed workers. Many of them had been out of work a long time, and there
is little chance of their working again at their chosen occupation
either because their looms are no longer used or because their
former employers have gone out of business or have moved the
business out of Philadelphia.
J
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SECTION IV
LABOR MOBILITY IN THE 10 YEARS, 1926-35
The term "labor mobility" usually refers to either the geographic
or the occupational and industrial mobility of workers. It is
the latter type of mobility with which this section is concerned.
Several measures appraising the amount of occupational and industrial mobility among the weavers and loom fixers studied can
be derived from their work histories during the 10 years, 1926-35.
The most important of these measures are the relative amounts of
employment at the usual and at other occupations, the number of
jobs the workers left in the 10-year interval, and the number of
times they reported changes in employer, occupation, and industry.
Voluntary changes in employer which are not accompanied by occupational shifts represent the horizontal movement of labor in search
of better working conditions and occasionally more varied experience in the same type of work. In the case of the weavers and
loom fixers studied, a shift in industry was usually also accompanied by a shift in occupation. This reflects the vertical
movement of labor up or down the scale in grade of skill.
EMPLOYMENT AT OCCUPATIONS OTHER THAN THE USUAL
It has been pointed out earlier that the amount of employment
at occupations other than the usual did not vary much from year
to year. When employment at the usual occupation declined in
the years from 1930 to 1933, there was not a similar decline in
employment at other occupations. Between 1931 and 1935, the
depression and early recovery years of the 10-year period, weavers
and loom fixers averaged 9.3 months of employment at other occupations compared with 9. 6 months in the preceding 5 years ( table
22). To express it somewhat differently, 17.9 percent of all
employment in the first 5 years and 21. 2 percent of all employment
in the second 5 years was at occupations other than the usual.
In the 10-year period the individuals in the sample spent as
much time working at other occupations as they did in unemployment. In the first 5 years, however, the time at ot_her occupations was more than twice the unemployed time, while in the second
5 years it was only two-thirds of the unemployed time. Throughout
43
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44
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
the period loom fixers spent considerably more time at other
occupations than did weavers. The reason for this difference
lies in the nature of the occupations. A weaver's experience
does not train him immediately for any work except weaving, and
if he has worked for a long time on a particular type of fabric
or kind of loom, he often has difficulty in weaving other fabrics
or in working in other industries. A loom fixer, on the other.
hand, is more skilled than a weaver and, before becoming a loom
fixer, has usually been a weaver or a machinist. Of the .29 loom
fixers in the sample, 19 were weavers before they became loom fixers. A loom fixer is really a machinist with special experience
in the set-up and maintenance of looms. Because of these two
supplementary or allied occupations loom fixers are more mobile
than weavers.
This distinction between weavers and loom fixers also appears
in table 37. Of the time spent at other occupations, loom fixers
were employed 50.0 percent of the time at skilled occupations in
manufacturing and mechanical industries, whereas none of the
supplementary employment of women weavers and only 8 . .2 percent of
the supplementary employment of men weavers was at skilled trades.
More than half of the loom fixers who reported employment at occupations other than the usual worked at weaving, and over a third
of their supplementary employment was at weaving. On the other
hand, of their total time at noncustomary occupations, both men
and women weavers, in comparison with loom fixers, spent a much
larger proportion at semiskilled trades; these percentages were
6 and 69. 1 for men and women weavers respectively and 7. o for
loom fixers. Much more of the supplementary employment of women
than of men was in domestic and personal service. Men, on the
other hand, spent considerable time at white-collar jobs, while
the women did almost no work of this kind. The men also spent
1~ percent of the time at other than the usual occupation in
unskilled laboring work.
~o.
It was shown in section III that the individuals in carpet and
rug manufacturing had the most and the individuals in upholsterygoods manufacturing had the least employment at occupations other
than the usual during the 10 years under consideration ( table .2.2).
When the amount of supplementary employment was examined in relation to age, it was found that workers under 30 years of age spent
about twice as much time at fill-in jobs as did other workers
(table .23).
Younger workers spent considerably more time at
_.
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LABOR MOBILITY
occupations other than the usual in the first s years than in the
seconds years, although the time at otheroccupations for workers 30 years of age and over was divided almost equally between
the two periods. Between 1926 and 1930 workers under 30 years
of age were employed at other occupations for almost 2 years
because over a third of them entered the labor market during that
time and first jobs are not likely to be of the skilled nature
of weaving and loom fixing. In table 38 it is seen that approximately half of the employment before securing a weaving or
loom-fixing jnh was at semiskilled occupations in manufacturing
industries. This proportion compares with a little more than
one-third of the time after employment at the usual occupation.
The inference is that since a semiskilled job in manufacturing and
most frequently in the textile and clothing industries was the most
usual kind of work engaged in before obtaining a weaving or loomfixing job, the latter was in the nature of a promotion from a
semiskilled occupation.
The oldest workersinthe study, those6oyears of ageandover,
had more employment at occupations other than the usual and less
employment at
the usual occupation than wo.rkers between 30 and
59 years of age, especially in the years from 1931 to 1935. In
this variation there is evidence that when there is a surplus of
unemployed workers in any trade,
the oldest ones find
it more
difficult than those in the middle age groups to obtain employment
at their usual trade and are more likely to look for and to accept
employment at occupations other than the usual, even though it
may mean moving down on the scale of skill.
Table 39 shows the number of persons in each age group who had
at least one job at an occupation other than the usual in the
10-year period and the occupational group in which their supplementary occupation was usually located. Figure 8 shows for men weavers in each age group the socioeconomic character of jobs at other
than the usual occupation after having worked as weavers. Threeeighths of all the workers 60 years of age and over, one-fourth of
those between LJ.5 and 59, almost one-half of those between 30 and
LJ.LJ., and nine-tenths of those under 30 years of age had jobs at occupations other than the usual. Among workers who reported stopgap
jobs, the percentage usually employed at unskilled and domesticand personal-service jobs was highest among those 60 years of age
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
46
Figura B.- SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTER OF JOBS AT OCCUPATIONS
OTHER THAN THE USUAL, 1926-~5, FDR ALL MEN WEAVERS
BY ABE IN MAY 1936
0
1020
)-----·-+
ALL MEN WEAVERS
PERCENT OF JOBS
3040Ml60
---+-- -+-
708090100
-+- -+---+--t----+---+-----<
•1,1111111111111111~
18 - 29
eo
30-44
■1,11111111111111111111~
45- 59
_.,1111111111~
AND OVER
.,,111I---+10
o
---I-
20
-----+----t- -t------t---+---+---+----<
,c.o
30
~o
,o
so
10
eo
100
PERCENT OF JOBS
-
SKILLEO
~
CLERICAL
~
HIIE
~
SEht41SKILLED
~
DOMESTIC
EXECUTIVE, PROFESSIONAL, AND
ANO
UNSKILLED
PERSONAL SERVICE
SEMIPROFESStoNAL
H.W.D.
Oataarelnflles
of Philadelphia Labor Market
Studies Section, WPANatlonal Research Project.
lndustrlal
Research
University of
WPA - National
Department
-
Pennsylv1nla and
Project
Research
P-18
and over and lowest among those under 30 years of age. 1 The
percentage usually employed at skilled or semiskilled jobs in
manufacturing and mechanical industries was lowest among those
60 years of age and over and highest among those under 30 years
of age. To put the situation briefly, the study indicates that
workers under 30 and workers 60 years of age and over had more
employment than other age groups at occupations other than the
usual. For the youngest workers these jobs were most frequently
semiskilled jobs from which they became skilled weavers and loom
fixers. For the oldest workers these jobs usually represented
a demotion in skill to semiskilled or unskilled work.
As previously pointed out, those who were employed at occupations
other than the usual in May 1936 spent considerably more time
1An exceDtlon to this statement Is the ract that among workers 45 to 59 years
or age no worker re DOrted h Is other ,lobs as generally be Ing at Dersonal- and
domestic-service occuDatlons.
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LABOR MOBILITY
47
than other workers in employment at occupations other than their
usual one. Quantitatively they spent four times as much time at
such employment as other persons and more than one-half of their
own employed time at such employment. The differentiation was
most marked in the second half of the decade when 56.0 percent
of the group I s employment at occupations other than the usual
was reported by those working at other occupations in May 1936,
who are only 13.7 percent of the total number of workers in the
study.
Many persons employed at other than their usual occupation in
May 1936 had lost their last job at the usual occupation before
the depression began in 1929 ( table 13). At least 20 percent of
each industrial group who were working at an occupation other
than the usual one in May 1936 had not worked at the usual occupation since 1929 or earlier. Although the numbers in each
industrial group are too small to permit any definite conclusions;
there is a suggestion that workers in carpet and rug manufacturing
were the first and workers in upholstery-goods manufacturing
were the last to lose their jobs at their regular occupation.
The fact that workers, who by May 1936 had been employed at other
occupations for a long time, still considered weaving and loom
fixing their usual occupation indicates that such employment
was accepted only as an alternative to unemployment and not by
deliberate choice.
While the amount of employment at occupations other than the
usual averaged over 1~ years in the 10-year period, 56. 6 percent
of the group did not work at any occupation except their usual
one. Most of the work at the usual occupation was in the usual
industry, and 57.~ percent of the workers were employed only in
their usual industry during the 10 years. Of the employment in
industries other than the usual, 16 percent was in one of the
other two industries selected for study.
JOB SEPARATIONS
The meaning of a job separation depends on the definition of
a job, which in the present study is termed paid service at one
occupational assignment for one employer lasting for 1 month or
longer. Hence a job separation may involve a change in employer,
occupation, or industry, either separately or in combination.
Excluding job separations which were followed by a return to the
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
48
same job a! ter a period of unemployment, ~3. 3 percent of the
separations involved a change in employer, occupation, and industry, and 38.1 percent involved a change in employer only (table
~ol. The variety of occupations and industries in which the
group employed at occupations other than the usual in May 1936
were working is in accord with the !act that a much higher percentage of their job separations than those of the other workers
meant a change in employer, occupation, and industry. They also
reported the lowest percentage of job separations resulting in
Flgur~ 9.- PERCENTAOE DISTRIBUTION OF WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
BY TYPE AND FREQUENCY OF SEPARATIONS, 1926-35
10
,
20
~
~
PERCENT OF TOTAL SAMPLE
3040~&070
•
I
--+
---t--
.
ao
90
~
~
____,100
ALL SEPARATIONS
EMPLOYER
SHIF"TS
OCCUPATIONAL
INDUSTRIAL
SHIF"TS
SHIF"TS
o
D
tc
NONE
~
iiHE
~ THREE
~
~
PERCENT
or
~
~
ro
TOTAL SAMPLE
ON£
DTwo
FOUR
-
=
FIVE AND MORE
H.W.0.
5•• tables ~l,
for data.
~~,
~5, ~6
lndustrlal Research Department University of Pennsylvanla and
WPA - Nat Iona I Aosearch Project
P-19
an employer shift only. In the total group studied, slightly
less than one-fifth of all job separations involved a change either
in occupation or in industry without a change in the other.
One-tenth of the workers in the sample reported no job separations in the 10 years 19.26-35; the rest reported an average of
.2. 7 separations ( figure 9 and table ~1). The differences in the
average number of job separations reported by weavers as distinct
from loom fixers are very slight. They are slightly !ewer among
loom fixers than weavers and slightly fewer among women weavers
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LABOR MOB I LI TY
49
than men weavers. The average number of job separations reported
in the 10 years was found to decrease directly with an increase
in age ( table 1p). Separations among individuals under 30 years
of age occurred approximately twice as frequently as among individuals 60 years of age and over. Those who were employed at
occupations other than the usual in May 1936 reported the highest
number of separations, and those employed at the usual occupation, the fewest separations (table 41).
About half of the job separations reported by weavers and loom
fixers in the years from 1926 to 1935 were followed by periods
of unemployment lasting 1 monthorlonger (table 42). Inasmall
proportion of the separations (6 percent l, the workers dropped
out of the labor market for a month or longer. The majority of
these persons returned to jobs before the end of the 10-year
period. Forty-three percent of the job separations were followed
by employment within 1 month's time. Loom fixers had the highest
proportion of job separations followed by employment.
These data substantiate other findings of this study in relation
to the work experience of weavers and loom fixers in the two
halves of the 10-year period studied in detail ( table 43). There
were more separations to employment in the first s years and more
separations to unemployment in the second s years. In the first
s years fewer persons returned to the same job after periods of
unemployment than in the seconds years. Workers over 45 years
of age reported more job separations to unemployment during the
10 years and fewer separations to employment than workers under
45 years of age (table 42). Workers who were unemployed in May
1936 reported ah igher proportion of job separations to unemployment and a lower proportion of separations to employment during
the decade than other workers in the study (table 42).
EMPLOYER, OCCUPATIONAL, AND INDUSTRIAL SHIFTS
Following the pattern found in job separations, the men weavers
who changed ~mployers, occupations, or industries reported the
highest number of shifts, and, on the whole, women weavers reported the fewest (tables 44-46). Loomfixersarethemiddlegroup
with respect to number of changes, and none of them reported a
large number of any type of change. No loom fixer reported more
than four employer, three occupational, or two industrial shifts.
This occupational pattern for loom fixers is in marked contrast
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50
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
to the average number of months loom fixers were employed at occupations other th~n the usual. However, fewer loom fixers than
weavers experienced no occupational shifts. The deduction is
that while loom fixers had more employment at occupations other
lhan the usual, they were less likely than weavers to work at
stveral different occupations or change occupations frequently.
Workers under 30 years of age reported the highest average
number of shifts of each type, and there was a decrease in the
number of sh i.fts reported as age increased, a.l though the decrease
was less consistent than in the nnmber of job separations. Workers under 30 made almost three times as many changes as workers
60 years of age and over. When l he average numbe;:- of shifts for
per.:;ous who experienced one or more shifts art: compared, the difference between the two age groups is much less, More than half
of the workers 30 years of age and over reported no occupational
er industrial shifts in the decade.
Those e;nployed at occupations other than the usual iu May 1936
:lid considerably more shifting, especial.Ly of occupation and in::!ustry. than those u11pio,)'ed at tne usual occupalionc.r.inemployed
in May 1936. However, when the average number of shifts is computed only for those in each group who did some changing, there
is little difference among the three groups. The interesting
point in connection with shifting is that almost one-third of
the total sample of weavers and loom fixers reported no change
in employer in the 10 years, and well over one-half reported no
change in occupation or industry. As might be expected in a group
of skilled workers, the average number of employer shifts was
higher than the average number of occupational or industrial shifts
for the group as a whole.
The patt.ern of job shifts among the weavers and loom fixers of
this study is one of relative immobility. The averages for the
group in the 10-year periodwereo.9 occupational shifts, 0.9 industrial shifts, and 1.7 employer shifts. It was found that 630
of the 9.29 job separations in the decade were followed by some
kind of shift, and 398 of the 9.29 job separations were followed
by another job before a month had elapsed. Younger workers experienced more job separations and all types of changes than older
workers. They also spent more time at occupations other than
the usual, although persons 60 years of age and over had more
supplementary employment than those from 30 to 59 years of age.
For older workers a large part of this work was unskilled.
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LABOR MOBILITY
51
The general absence of mobility as reflected in these measures
is indicative of the tenacity with which weavers and loom fixers
have clung to their usual occupation in face of a severe cyclical
decline in job opportunities which, accentuated by a downward
trend in the three selected industries, makes any appreciable
improvement from the depression level very unlikely. The most
mobile workers probably left the occupation and industry and the
community to search for work elsewhere. Nevertheless, in the
May 1936 labor market there were many who had not worked at weaving or loom fixing for several years but had not, at least in
their own estimation, left the trade.
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SECTION V
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
The 357 weavers and loom fixers, whose work experience is the
subject of this study, represent the most highly skilled occupations in three textile industries (carpet and rug, woolenand worsted-goods, and upholstery-goods manufacturing) for which
Philadelphia has long been recognized as an important center.
Since the early 1920 1 s the occupations of weaving and loom fixing
have been declining in importance in Philadelphia. This has been
the result of the introduction of more automatic looms and the
country-wide decline in the three selected industries, a decline
which has been particularly marked in the Philadelphia area.
ATTACHMENT TD THE OCCUPATION
In spite of theslight hope for any appreciable improvement in
the employment opportunities for weavers and loom fixers in
Philadelphia, these workers cling to their trade. Even if circumstances force them to accept jobs at other kinds of work, they
regard such jobs as temporary and continue to consider themselves
weavers. An unusual persistence of attachment to their trade was
expressed in many of the interviews and was evident from the tabulations of the work-history data. Two weavers who had not held a
job as weavers since 1925 still considered weaving to be their
usual occupation in May 1936. A similar preference for weaving was
characteristic of all those who in May 1936 were employed at occupations other than the usual one. Half of this group had lost
their last job at the usual occupation before 1931, i.e., at
least 5 years before the control date of this study, but still
classified themselves as weavers and loom fixers. The only evidence of a drift away from the occupations of weaving and loom
fixing is found in the data relating to the rate of entrance to
these occupations, as reflected in this study. Only 10 .4 percent
of the sample are workers who entered the labor market between
1920 and 1924, and only 6.5 percent of the sample entered in or
after 1925.
Most of the workers in the study had entered the labor market
before 1910 and had worked almost exclusively in the textile in52
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SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
53
dustries. Men weavers had averaged 18½ years at this occupation,
and women weavers, 15 years. Loom fixers had spent 24½ years,
on the average, at this particular occupation.
A number of factors explain the occupational tenacity of weavers
and loom fixers. One of the dominating influences is the fact
that a large part of the sample, perhaps one-third, consists of
persons who were born and raised in Kensington, the northeastern
section of Philadelphia, where it was a family tradition in the
period from 1890 to 1920 ( the boom days of the textile industries
in Philadelphia) for each member of the family to go int~ a textile
mill when he or she left school. Jobs were easy to obtain, and
wages at theskilled occupations were good. A second and important reason why weavers and loom fixers stick to their trade is
that experience has shown that when they do change occupation,
they usually have to accept less skilled jobs which entail a loss
in prestige and wages. Only 12 percent of the 10-year employment
at occupations other than the usual was at work as skilled as
weaving and loom fixing. A third factor in maintaining a large
labor reserve in a declining occupation is the high age level
of the group. The average age of the group was 44. 5 years, which
is high even among occupations which require e great deal of
skill and specialized experience. Older workers not only have
more to lose in shifting their occupation, but they are apt to
be less adaptable and have more work habits to unlearn in a new
job than younger workers. It should also be remembered that this
sample does not include those individuals who left the trade or
area during the course of the 10 years, and it is therefore
weighted with workers who are relatively slow in becoming adapted
to a changed situation.
PATTERNS OP MOBILITY
The workers in this study showed very little occupational and
industrial mobility. In the 10 years 1926-35 selected for intensive analysis of work experience, 56.6 percent of the group never
worked at any occupation other than their usual one, and 57.4
percent of the group never worked in any industry other than
their usual one. The first· part of this statement is easy to
understand because, as already noted, a worker who has reached
the grade of weaver or loom fixer has gone as far as he can in
the textile industries and cannot readily transfer to the most
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
54
highly skilled position in another industry. That there was not
more mobility among the three selected industries is explicable
only because all three industries were declining in importance
during the period studied. In the decade slightly less than a
sixth of the employment not in the usual industry was in one of
the other two industries, and this was generally at a semiskilled
occupation, such as spinning, carding, and creeling.
WPA
-Nati o nal
Re,earc h Pr oj e c t ( Rt ne)
Fig ure 10 .- WEAVER FILLIN G
A
SHUTTL E
The loom fixers, who are less than 10 percent of the sample,
did not change their industry any more frequently than weavers,
but they did change their occupa~ion more often. A larger proportion of the loom fixers than weavers shifted th eir occupation
at least once, although the number of occupation al shifts was
higher for weavers than for loom fixers when only those who experienced one or more shifts are considered. Loom fixers also
had more work at occupations other than the usual during the
10-year period, and a large proportion of this was ski l led. A loom
fixer by trade is more adapted to shifting because he is both a
skilled textile worker and an expert machinist. Youn ger weavers
and loom fixers had more occupational, industrial, and employer
shifts than older workers. They also spent more time at occupations other than the usual one. The oldest workers, however,
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SUMMARY AND
CONCLUSIONS
55
had more supplementary employment than those from 45 to 59 years
of age, but much of this work was unskilled.
In the prosperous days of the textile industries in Philadelphia
it was a fairly common practice among textile workers to move
from mill to mill in response to higher wages or some other indncement. In the 10-year period 1926-35, however, this was less
possible because of the decline in the industries, and the average
number of employer shifts reported per worker was only 1 ,7. The
closing down, liquidation, and removal of textile plants from
Philadelphia materially diminished the opportunities for shopping
around for jobs,
Half of the job separations occurring in the decade under consideration were followed by periods of unemployment Lasting 1 month
or longer. In this study a median number of 2 .5 job separations
and of 1. 5 unemployment periods was reported, The average number
of unemployment periods, however, can· hardly be considered reprcsentat i ve of a general employment pat tern for weavers and loom
fixers because one-third of the individuals in the study reported
no period of unemployment lasting 1 month or longer in the 10
years.
Job separations, on the other hand, were reported by
all but one-tenth of the sample and are therefore characteristic
of the entire group. That the group as a whole was not mobile is
shown in the fact that a third of the job separations were not
followed by any kind of shift, and an additional quarter were
followed by an employer shift only.
EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT
The average amount of unemployment reported by weavers and loom
fixers in the 10-year period was approximately i½ years, although
this was distributed very unevenly among individuals, One-third
of them had no unemployment of 1 month or longer, and one-eighth
reported over 4 years of unemployment. A large amount of unemployment was usually associated with long, consecutive periods of
unemployment rather than with numerous, short periods, In fact,
little evidence of seasonal lay-offs and short-term unemployment
was found, but there is reason to believe that these were not
reliably reported in the study.
The group as a whole spent 66 percent of the 10 years in employment at their usual occupation, 16 percent in employment at other
occupations, 15 percent in unemployment, and 3 percent in time
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56
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
time work so that the rate of idleness on a man-hour basis would
be distinctly higher than on a worker basis. The principle of
work sharing was probably effective in spreading part-time work
over more workers than would have been hired on a full-time basis
without such an employment policy but obviously did not affect
the work records of persons displaced in permanent lay-offs who
were not reabsorbed into the industry.
Almost four-fifths of the total unemployment reponed occurred
in the seconds years of the period studied. Employment at occupations other than the usual was sustained to a surprising
degree in the second half of the period when i-t showed scarcely
any decline from the firsts years. Employment at the usual occupation, however, was 20 percent less in the second half of the
10 years than in the first s years. In May 1936, 151 of the 357
weavers and loom fixers in this sample were not employed at their
usual occupation; 49 of these were employed at other occupations
which meant employment ata lower economic status for 35 of them.
The majority of these were younger workers.
Many of those who were unemployed in May 1936, on the other hand,
had been out of work a long time and had experienced a disproportionate share of the total unemployment reported in the study,
particularly in the years after 1930. The average age of this
group was higher than that of employed weavers and loom fixers,
and the older workers within the group experienced unusually long
periods of unemployment. The percentage of persons 45 years of
age and over who experienced sorneunemployment during the 10 years
was no greater than among younger workers, but it took the older
unemployed workers a much longer time to become reabsorbed into
employment, especially at their usual occupation. The rate of
turn-over in the unemployed group was low. Half of those who
were unemployed in May 1936 had lost their last job at weaving
or loom fixing in the first months of 1934 or earlier.
CONCLUSIONS
This study illustrates the effects of varied types of industrial change on the employment and reemployment opportunity of
workers in two highly skilled occupations in important textile
industries in Philadelphia. Style changes in house furnishings
reduced or changed the character of the demand for the products
manufactured in Philadelphia mills. Technological changes re-
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SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
57
duced the labor requirements for making the product for which a
demand still existed. This was particularly true of the work of
weavers and loom fixers. These occupations are highly skilled,
and the workers' experience is therefore very specialized. There
are distinct limits to the transferability of the skills acquired,
and many of the workers prefer to accept less regular employment
in the industries of their customary attachment rather than to
shift to other industries.
The workers' ability to make shifts is distinctly limited by
their age. The average age of the weavers and loom fixers studied
is high. Of those displaced by recent economic changes, only
the younger workers have succeeded in making more or less permanent shifts to other occupations and industries. Many of these
changes represented transfers to occupations of lower grades of
skill.
Most of the weavers and loom fixers who still hold jobs in the
upholstery, carpet, and woolen and worsted mills of Philadelphia
are likely to have a chance to work un ti 1 they are 65 and are
eligible for old age pensions, since age is no handicap to those
who are employed. Unemployment compensation benefits will assist in carrying them over periods of seasonal unemployment or
irregular ope rat ion. The relatively large group who have no pay..:
roll attachment in the industry, however, are in a very different
situation. Their high average age makes it difficult for them
to secure other types of employment, and there is small likelihood
of their being reabsorbed into their usual occupation. Despite
the fact that they reside in a metropolitan center of diversified
industries, they are as effectively "stranded" as if they lived
in the "stranded communities" of West Virginia or the "depressed
areas" of England and Wales.
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APPENDIX A
TABLES
The sample on which these tables (except tables
based is described in the Introduction.
1
and
2)
are
For definitions of terms used in tables, see appendix B.
The occupation and industry codes used in classifying the workhistory material are adaptations of Bullet in 113, Occupation Code,
and Bulletin #4, Industry Code, Works Progress Administration.
National Research Project in cooperation with the Industrial Research Department of the University of Pennsylvania (mimeo.,
April 1936).
Socioeconomic groups ( tables 14, 15, 37, and 38 l were determined
by a refinement of the occupation code based on Alba M. Edwards'
socioeconomic classification for the United States census occupational returns, presented in "A Social-Economic Grouping of
the Gainful Workers of the United States," journal of the American
Statistical Association, XXVIII, No. 184 !Dec. 1933), 377-87.
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
60
Table 1.- AVERAGE NUMBER OF WAGE EARNERS IN THE WOOLEN
AND WORSTED INDUSTRY IN PHILADELPHIA
AND THE UNITED STATES, 1899-1935
Year
1899
1909
1919
1929
1933
1935
Philadelphia
United States
16 1 845a
19,177a
C
16,229d
10,499
6,0508
8,240g
125,90~
l63,l9~b
166 1 787b
146,959f
127,227
136,461h
aThirteenth Census of the United States: 1910, "Abstract of
the Census with Supplement for Pennsylvania" (u. s. Dept. Com.
and Labor. Bur. Census, 1913), P• 747. Data for 1899 and 1909
include wool ha.ts and felt goods.
bFifteenth Census of the United States: 1930, "Manufactures:
1929" (u. s. Dept. Com., Bur. Census, 1933), II, 412.
cFourteenth Census of the United States: 1920, "Manufactures:
1919" (u. s. Dept. Com., Bur. Census, 1923), IX, 1340.
dFifteenth Census of the United States: 1930, "Manufactures:
1929" (U. s. Dept. Com., Bur. Census, 1933), III, 467.
eBiennial Census of :Manufactures: 1933, "General Statistics
for Philadelphia, by Industries" (u. s. Dept. Com., Bur.
Census, July 17, 1935), P• 4.
fBiennial Census of Manufactures:
Bur. Census, 1936), P• 134.
1933
(u. s.
Dept. Com.,
gCensus of Manufactures: 1935, "Summary for Philadelphia, by
Industries" (u. S. Dept. Com., Bur. Census, Oct. 6, 1937), P•
3. Data for 1935 include woven felt goods, woolen and worsted
yarn, dyeing and finishing, haircloth, and other wool-manufacturing industries, as well as woolen and worsted goods.
hThe Census of Manufactures: 1935, "wool and Hair Manufactures" (U.
Dept. Com., Bur. Census, 1937), P• 2.
s.
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APPENDIX A
61
Table 2.- AVERAGE NUMBER OF WAGE EARNERS IN THE CARPET AND
. RUG INDUSTRY IN PllILADELPHIA AND THE
tn~ITED STATES, 1899-1935
Year
1899
1909
1919
1927
1929
1933
1935
fuiladelphia
United States
12,190a
10 363a
•
C
6,811d
5, 7268
5,2751'
3,199h
28,41~
33,30\
22,933h
32,829h
32,623
21.295~
27,633 1
s.e10
aThirteenth Census of the United States: 1910, "Abstract of
the Census with Supplement for Pennsylvania" (c. s. Dept. Com.
and Labor, Bur. Census, 1913), r• 745.
bFifteenth Census of the United States: 1930, "Manufactures:
1929" (U. s. Dept. Com., Bur. Census, 1933), II, 420.
cFourteenth Census of the United States: 1920, "mnufactures:
1919 11 (U. s. Dept. Cot:1., Bur. Census, 1923), IX, 1334.
dBiennial Census of Manufactures:
Bur. Census, 1930), P• 1473.
1927 (U.
s.
Dept. Com.,
eFifteenth Census of the United States: 1930, "Manufactures:
1929" (U. s. Dept. Cor:i., Bur. Census, 1933), III, 452. Figure
is for Philadelphia Industrial Area.
!'Biennial Census of Manufactures: 1933, "Philadelphia Industrial Area" (u. s. Dept. Com., Bur. Census, June 18, 1935), P•
2. Figure is for Philadelphia Industrial Area.
gBiennial Census of .Manufactures:
Bur. Census, 1936), p. 133.
1933
(u. s.
Dept. Com ••
hcensus of .Manufactures: 1935, "Philadelphia Industrial Area"
(U. s. Dept. Com., Bur. Census, Aug. 27, 1937), P• 2. Figure
is for Philadelphia Industrial Area. Data for 1935 include
paper fibre and grass carpets and rugs, rag carpets and rugs,
and woolen and worsted carpet yarns. The percentage of wage
earners employed in the manufacture of carpets and rugs, wool.
other than rag, hov1ever, probably accounts for all but a negligible num~er of the wage earners in this industry group in this
area in 1935.
iThe Census of Manufactures; 1935, "Carpets and Rugs" (U.
Dept. Com •• Bur. Census, 1937), P• 16.
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
62
Table 3.- USUAL OCCUPATION, BY THE USUAL INDUSTRY
AND Fl,IPLOYMENT STATUS IN MAY 1936
Weavers
Usual industry and
employment status
Total
Total
Loom
fixers
Total Men Wanen (Men)
357
328
284
44
29
206
49
102
189
41
98
168
36
80
21
6
18
17
8
Woolen and worsted goods
Employed: at the usual occupation
at other occupations
Unemployed
76
45
9
22
68
39
7
22
54
34
6
15
14
8
6
2
0
Carpets and rugs
Employed: at the usual occupation
at other occupations
Unemployed
115
17
25
109
69
16
24
105
68
16
21
Upholstery goods
Employed1 at the usual occupation
at other occupations
Unemployed
166
88
23
55
151
81
18
52
125
66
15
&ployed:
at the usual occupation
at other occupations
Unemployed
73
4
5
2
7
44
4
6
1
0
3
4
26
16
3
8
15
7
5
1
1
3
Table 4.- YEAR OF ENTERING THE LABOR MARKET
BY THE USUAL OCCUPATION
Weavers
Year of
entering the
labor market
Total
Num-
bar
Totala
Before 1880
1880-84
1885-89
1890-94
1895-99
1900-4
1905-9
1910-14
1915-19
1920-24
1925-29
1930-34
Loom
fixers
Total
337
15
24
24
26
28
42
42
40
39
35
19
3
Per- Numcent ber
100.0 309
4.4
7.1
7.1
7.7
8.3
12.5
12.5
11.9
11.6
10.4
5.6
0.9
13
21
21
19
25
38
42
36
38
34
19
3
Per- Numcent ber
100.0 267
4.2
6.8
6.8
6.1
8.l
12.3
13.6
11.7
12.3
11.0
6.1
1.0
Women
Men
11
20
18
18
21
34
36
33
28
28
17
3
Per- Numcent ber
(Men)
Per- Numcent bar
Percent
100.0
42
100.0
28
100.0
4.1
7.5
6.7
6.7
7.9
12.7
13.5
12.4
10.5
10.5
6.4
1.1
2
4.8
2.4
7.1
2.4
9.5
9.5
14.3
7.1
23.8
14.3
4,8
2
3
3
7
3
4
0
4
l
1
0
0
7.1
10.7
10.7
25.0
10.7
14.3
l
3
l
4
4
6
3
10
6
2
0
-
-
14.3
3.6
3.6
-
-
aExcludes 18 men and 2 women who did not report date of entering the
labor market.
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APPENDIX A
63
Table 6.- AGE. USUAL OCCUPATION. AND USUAL INDUSTRY
IN MAY 1936
Age and Usual Occupation
Weavers
Loom fixers
(Men)
Total
Number
357
Total
lien
Total
Age in years
Under 20
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-19
50-54
55-59
60-64
65 and over
Median age
Per- N'l.ll!lcent ber
100.0 328
l
8
33
43
39
61
39
37
32
29
35
o.3
2.2
9.2
12.1
10.9
17.1
10,9
10.4
9.0
8.1
9.8
100.0 284
1
8
32
43
36
59
35
35
24
26
29
44.5
Per- Numcent ber
0.3
2.4
9.8
13.1
11.0
18.0
10.7
10.7
7.3
7.9
8.8
Per- Numcent ber
Per- Numcent ber
100.0
44
100.0
0.4
2.5
9.8
11.6
1006
17.9
10.9
10.6
8.1
8.5
9.1
0
l
4
10
6
8
4
5
1
2
3
2.3
9.1
22.7
13.6
18.2
9.1
ll.4
2.3
4.5
6.8
1
7
28
33
30
51
31
30
23
24
26
43.8
Women
44.3
29
-
Percent
100.0
3.5
0
0
1
0
3
2
4
2
8
3
6
-
10.3
6.9
13.8
6.9
27.6
10.3
20.7
56.9
40.9
Age and Usual Industry
Total
Age in years
Total
Under 20
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-14
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65 and over
!.'.edifu,
8.E;0
Carpets
and rugs
Upholstery
goods
Percent
Num-
ber
Percent
Num-
ber
ber
Percent
100.0
76
100.0
115
100.0
166
100.0
0.3
2.2
9.2
12.1
10o9
17.l
10.9
10.4
9.0
8.1
9.8
0
l
3
8
10
14
9
6
ll
7
7
1.3
3.9
10o5
13.2
18.4
ll.9
7.9
14.5
9.2
9.2
0
2
12
15
7
22
10
12
10
12
13
1.7
10.4
13.l
6.1
19.2
8.7
10.4
8.7
10.1
ll.3
l
5
18
20
22
25
20
19
ll
10
15
0.6
3.0
10.8
12.1
13.3
15.1
12.1
ll.4
6.6
6.0
9.0
ber
Percent
357
1
8
33
43
39
61
39
37
32
29
35
Num-
Woolens and
worsteds
44.5
Num-
46.4
-
-
44.9
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
64
Table
e.-
m
lfUIVITY, BY rHE USUAL <X:ClJPATIOlf,
USUAL IllDOSTRY,
ABD AGE IN IIAY 1958
By th<a Usual Occupation
Loam
Weavers
Total
Nathity
Total
Native-born
Foreign-born
Ken
Total
fixers
(Ken)
Women
Number
Peroent
Number
Peroent
'Hum-
Peroent
Number
Peroent
lfum-
ber
ber
Peroent
567
100.0
528
100.0
284
100.0
100.0
29
100,0
219
138
61,5
38,7
201
127
61,5
58,7
172
112
60,6
39,4
"
66,9
54.1
18
62,1
57,9
29
15
11
By the Usual Industry
Woolens and
worsteds
Total
Upholstery
good•
Carpet• and
rug•
NatiTity
Total
Native-born
Foreign-born
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
ber
Percent
557
100.0
76
100.0
115
100.0
166
100.0
219
138
61,3
38,7
38
58
60,0
60.0
79
36
68,7
31,3
102
M
61.4
38.6
Num-
By Age
Age in years
Total
16-29
Nativity
Total
Native-born
Foreign-born
30-44
60 and over
46-59
Numbar
Peroent
Number
Peroent
Numbar
Peroent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
357
100,0
42
100,0
143
100,0
108
100,0
64
100.0
219
138
61,3
58,7
38
90,6
9,5
92
51
64,3
36.7
57
61
52,8
47,2
32
32
60,0
60,0
4
Table 7,- YEAR OF BEGINNING RESIDENCE IN PHILADELPHIA
BY THE USUAL OCCUPATION
Weavers
Loom
fixers
(Men)
Total
Year of beginning residence•
At birth
Before 1900
1900-4
1906-9
1910-14
1916-19
1920-24
1926-29
U'ter 1929
Women
bar
Percent
ber
Percent
Number
Percent
Nwnber
Percent
Nwnber
Percent
566
100.0
327
100,0
283
100.0
44
100,0
28
100,0
164
47
18
43.4
13,2
6,1
8.6
8,7
7,6
8,2
5,9
1.4
143
41
17
28
28
24
28
14
4
43,7
12,5
6,2
8,6
8.6
7,5
8,6
4.5
1.2
119
38
16
24
26
22
24
12
•5
42,0
15,4
6.3
8,6
9,2
7.8
8,6
4,2
1.1
24
3
2
4
2
2
4
2
l
64,6
6,8
4,5
9,1
4,6
4,6
9.1
4,6
2,5
11
39,5
21,4
3,6
7,1
10,7
10,7
5.6
Num-
Totalb
Men
Total
30
31
27
29
14
6
Num-
6
l
2
3
3
1
0
l
-
3,6
aSee appendix B for definition of year of beginning residenoe, listed under "Year•
in City,•
°Bxoludu 2 men who did not report year of beginning residence in Philadelphia,
Digitized by
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APPENDIX A
65
Table 8.- SCHOOL GRADE COIIPLEI'ED, BY THE USUAL OCCUPATION.
THE USUAL INDUSTRY, AND AGE IN MAY 1936
By the Usual Occupation
Weavers
Loom
fixers
(Men)
Total
Total
School grade
complet!!d
Number
Tota1 8
Per- Numcent ber
Men
Per- Numcent ber
Women
Per- Numcent ber
Per- Numcent ber
Percent
347
100.0 320
100.0 279
100.0
41
100.0
27
100.0
No formal
schooling 15
118
1-6
164
7-8
9-12
50
4.3 15
34.0 108
47,3 148
14.4 49
4.7 14
33.8 97
46.2 126
15.3 42
5.0
34.8
45,2
15,0
1
11
22
7
2,4
26.8
53,7
17.1
0
10
16
1
37,0
59.3
3,7
7.8
Median gradeb
7,8
7,5
7.5
-
· 7 .5
By the Usual Industry
School grade .
completed
Total 8
No formal
schooling
1-6
7-8
9-12
Carpets
and rugs
Woolens and
worsteds
Total
Upholstery
goods
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Ntm1ber
Percent
347
100.0
73
100.0
115
100.0
159
100.0
15
118
164
50
4,3
34.0
47.3
14,4
3
28
35
7
4,1
38,4
47,9
9,6
6
39
54
16
5.2
33,9
47,0
13,9
6
51
75
27
3.8
32.1
47.1
17 .o
7,8
Median gradeb
7.3
7,6
7.5
By Age
Age in years
Total
School grade
completed
16-29
Num•
ber
Totala
Per- Numcent ber
347
100.0
42
No formal
schooling 15
1-6
118
164
7-8
9-12
50
4,3
34.0
47,3
14,4
0
5
25
12
Median gradeb
7.8
30-44
Per- Numcent ber
100.0 141
8,5
-
11,9
59,5
28,6
45-59
Per- Numcent ber
60 and
over
Per- Numcent ber
Percent
100.0 102
100.0
62
100,0
4,3
5
29.1 39
50.3 47
16.3 ,11
4,9
38.2
46,l
10,8
4
33
21
4
6.5
53,2
33.8
6.5
6
41
71
23
8,1
7,5
6,4
8
Excludes 7 men and 3 women who did not report school grade completed,
bJ4edians computed on a more detailed break-down.
Digitized by
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
66
Table 9.- AGE OF BEGINNING WORK, BY THE USUAL OCCUPATION AND
AGE IN MAY 1936
By the Usual Occupation
Loom
fixers
Weavers
Total
Number
Total a
Less than 11
11
12
13
14
15
16
17 and over
Median age
354
Per- Nwncent ber
Per- Nwncent ber
29
100.0
2
2
l
8
4.5
4.5
2.3
18.2
3
3
2
6
10.3
10.3
6.9
20.7
12
9
6
4
27.3
20.5
13.6
9.1
8
4
2
1
27.6
13.8
6.9
3.5
42
34
98
51
57
27
30.2
15.7
17.5
8.3
86
42
51
23
30.6
14.9
18.2
8.2
106
55
59
28
29.9
15.5
16. 7
7.9
11
14.7
14.7
Percent
100.0
3.9
4.3
7.8
12.1
13
14
23
Per- Numcent ber
44
12
22
4.5
4.8
7.1
13.6
{Men)
100.0
4.0
4.3
7.1
12.9
16
17
25
48
14.7
Per- Numcent ber
100.0 281
100.0 325
Women
Men
Total
Age in years
14.1
14.8
By Age in May 1936
Age in May 1936 in years
Total
Number
Total a
Per- Numcent ber
Per- Numcent ber
100.0 142
354
100.0
42
Less than 11
11
12
13
16
17
25
48
4.5
4.8
7.1
13.6
0
0
0
0
-
0
1
5
11
14
15
16
17 and over
106
55
59
28
29.9
15.5
16.7
7.9
13
6
19
4
31.0
14.3
45.2
9.5
60
30
24
11
Median age
14.7
45-59
30-44
16-29
Age in years
16.1
Per- Numcent ber
3.5
7.7
42.3
21.2
16.9
7.7
14.9
Percent
Per- Numcent ber
100.0
64
100.0
5
7
12
25
4.7
6.6
11.3
23.6
11
9
8
12
17.2
25
12
23.6
11.3
10.4
8.5
8
7
5
4
12.5
10.9
7.8
6.3
100.0 106
-0.1
60 and
over
11
9
14.2
14.1
12.5
18.7
13.4
~xcludes 3 men weavers who did not report age of beginning work.
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APPENDIX A
67
Table 10.- NUMBER OF YEARS l!MPI.OYED AT THE USUAL OCCUPATION BY THE USUAL
OCCUPATICN AND THE USUAL INDUSTRY
By the Usual Occupation
Weavers
Loom t'ixera
Total
Number ot years
Total
Num- Per- NumTotal 8
ber
cent ber
356
100.0 327
Less than 4 yr.6 mo,
4 yr.6 mo.-9 yr.5 mo.
9 yr,6 mo.-14 yr.5 mo.
14 yr.6 mo.-19 yr,5 mo,
69
51
19 yr.6 mo.-24 yr.5 mo.
24 yr.6 mo.-29 yr.5 mo.
29 yr.6 mo.-34 yr.5 mo.
46
21
34 yr.6 mo.-39 yr.5 mo.
23
39 yr.6 mo.-4-4 ~.5 mo.
44 yr.6 mo. and oTer
19
7.0
12.4
19.4
25
44
14.3
12.1
12.9
5.9
43
6.5
4.2
5.3
15
Median nU111ber of years
18.6
Men
Per- Numcent ber
(14enl
Wanen
Per- Numcent ber
Percent
Per- Numcent ber
--- -
100.0 283
100.0
44
100.0
29
100.0
1
2.3
11.4
36.4
11.4
1
2
5
4
3.5
6.9
17.2
13.8
6.8
13.6
9.1
3
5
- 10.4
17.2
0
-
4.5
5
17,2
13.8
4.5
0
24
42
64
47
7.3
12.9
19.6
14.4
23
37
42
B.1
13,l
17.0
14.8
40
12.2
12.5
6.4
37
35
17
13.l
12.4
6.0
3
6
16
5.6
11
5.5
3.4
11
19
5.8
17
3.9
6.0
2
0
2
41
21
18
48
18.l
5
16
5
4
18.6
-
4
16.0
-
24.6
By the Usual Industry
Total
Number of years
Totals
Less than 4 yr.6 mo.
4 yr.6 mo.-9 yr,5 =•
9 yr.6 mo.-14 yr.5 mo.
14 yr.6 mo.-19 yr.5 mo.
Carpets
and
rugs
Upholstery
goods
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
356
100.0
75
100.0
115
100.0
166
100.0
25
7.0
12,4
19.4
14.3
4
5.3
8.0
20.0
21.3
9
12
15
15
7.8
10.5
13.0
13.0
12
26
39
20
7.2
15.7
23.5
12.1
18
19
9
15.7
16.5
7.8
19
18
8
11.5
10.8
4.8
8
3
7
7.0
2.6
6.1
10
7
7
6.0
4.2
4.2
44
69
51
19 yr.6 mo.-24 yr.5 mo.
24 yr.6 mo.-29 yr.5 mo.
29 yr.6 mo.-34 yr.5 mo,
43
46
34 yr.6 mo.-39 yr.5 mo.
39 yr.6 mo.-4-4 yr.5 mo.
44 yr.6 mo, and over
Median number of yes.re
Woolens
and
worsteds
6
15
16
6
9
21
12.1
12.9
5.9
4
8.0
12.0
5.3
23
15
19
6,5
4.2
5.3
5
5
5
6.7
6.7
6.7
18.6
18.6
21.4
16,l
8
Excludea l male weaver who did not report numoer of years employed at the usual
occupation.
Digitized by
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
68
Table 11,- LENGTH OF SERVICE ON AND DATE OF BEGINNING LONGEST JOB
BY SEX AND BY THE USUAL INDUSTRY
Usual industry
Se,:
Total
NlDllber
Per- Numcent ber
Woolens
and
worsteds
Women
Men
Number of months
or date
Per- Nlllllcent ber
Per- NlDDcent bar
Garrets
and rugs
Per- Numcent ber
Upholstery
goods
Per- Nincent ber
Percent
Length of Service in Months
Total•
Less than 60
60-119
120-179
180-239
240-299
300 and over
Median length
355
80
114
90
43
12
16
100,0 312
22,5
32,l
25,4
12,l
3,4
4.5
111,6
71
99
75
39
12
16
100,0
43
100,0
75
22,8
31,7
24,0
12,5
3,9
5,1
9
15
15
4
0
0
20,9
34,9
34,9
9,3
10
32
20
111,8
-
-
112,0
5
4
4
100.0 115
13,3
42,7
26,7
6,7
5,3
5,3
112,5
26
33
26
20
4
6
100,0 165
22,6
28,7
22,6
17,4
3,5
5,2
118,2
44
49
44
18
4
6
100,0
26,7
29,7
26,7
10,9
2,4
3,6
107,S
Date of Beginninb Longest Job
Total"1881-90
1891-96
1896-1900
1901-5
1906-10
1911-15
1916-20
1921-25
1926-30
1931-35
365
10
11
15
23
40
38
77
123
10
8
100.0 312
100.0
43
10
10
14
21
36
3,2
3,2
4,5
6,7
11,5
0
l
l
2
4
2,3
2,3
4,7
9,3
10.7 35
21.7 62
34.6 108
2.8
9
2,3
7
11.2
19.9
34.6
2.9
2.3
3
15
15
l
l
7 .o
34,9
34,9
2.3
2.3
2.8
3,1
4,2
6.5
11,3
100.0
-
75
100,0 115
100,0 165
100.0
5
3
3
2
7
6,7
4,0
4,0
2.7
9,3
4
l
5
8
18
3,E
0,9
4.3
7,0
15.6
l
7
7
13
15
0,6
4,2
4,2
7,9
9,1
15
20.0
18.7
33.3
1.3
13
24
38
3
l
11.3
20,9
33.0
2.6
0.9
10
39
e,l
23.7
36.4
3,6
4.2
14
25
l
0
-
GO
6
7
aExoludes l man and l woman who did not report length of service on or date of beginning longest job,
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APPENDIX A
69
Table 12.- AGE AND EKPLOYllENT STATUS IN IIAY 1956
Employed Age in
Total
year ■
Under 20
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
4o-44
46-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
66 and over
At other
occupationa
Unemployed
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
367
100.0
206
100.0
49
100.0
102
100.0
l
o.5
8
33
43
39
61
39
37
32
29
35
2.2
9.2
12.1
10.9
17.l
10.9
10.4
9.0
8.1
9.8
l
6
19
27
24
37
32
17
19
0.5
2.4
9.2
13.l
11.7
18.0
15.5
8.3
9.2
6.8
6.3
0
1
8
-2.0
0
2
-2.0
16.3
8.2
16.3
16.3
2.0
12.3
8.2
12.3
6.1
6
NWllber
Total
At the uauo.l
ocoupation
l4edian age
14
11
4
8
8
1
6
4
6
3
42.5
43.7
44.5
6.9
11.7
6.9
15.7
5.9
13.7
8.8
8.8
20.6
12
7
16
6
14
9
9
21
50.9
Table 13.• YEAR OF LOSS OF LAST JOB AT THE USUAL OCCUPATION FOR THOSE
BIIPLOYED AT OTHER OCCUPATIONS AND FOR THOSE UNEIIPLOYED
Ill MAY 1936, BY THE USUAL INDUSTRY
lfoolena and
worsteds
Total
Year
Number
Percent
NWllber
Percent
Upholstery
goods
Carpets and
rug ■
Percent
NUlllber
Number
Percent
Employed at other Oooupationa in l4ay 1936
Total
49
100.0
9
0
0
l
0
Before 1926
l
2.0
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
3
7
3
5
6
6.1
6
2
7
3
6
1
14.3
6.1
10.2
12,3
10.2
4.1
14.3
6.1
12.3
2.0
100.0
-
-
11.l
11.1
l
l
11.1
22.2
2
0
-
l
11.l
0
2
l
22,3
11,l
-
17
l
0
3
3
2
3
2
l
0
l
l
0
100.0
23
5.9
0
3
3
0
2
-
17.6
17.6
11.8
17.6
n.s
l
6.9
l
6
5,9
3
-6.9
I
2
2
100.0
-
13.0
13.0
-8.7
8,7
4,4
4.4
26,l
8,7
13,0
-
0
-
Unemployed in May 1936
Total
Before 1926
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1936
1936
102
100.0
22
l
2
3
4
4
1.0
2.0
2.9
3.9
3.9
10.8
8.8
4.9
0
0
9.8
3
2
5
5
11
9
6
10
13
25
16
12.s
24.6
14.7
l
l
0
l
4
0
100.0
25
100.0
55
100.0
-
0
2
-8.0
l
0
-1.8
-4.5
4.6
-4,5
18,2
-
13.6
9,1
22.8
22.8
l
l
l
3
1
0
3
6
4
4
Digitized by
4.0
4,0
4.0
12.0
4.0
-
12.0
20.0
16.0
16.0
l
2
3
7
4
5
4
6
16
6
Google
1.8
3,6
5,5
12.7
7,3
9,1
7.3
10.9
29.l
10.9
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
70
Table H.- OCCUPA!'ION OP LAST J"OB, BY SOCIO!CONOllaC GROUP, USU.AL OCCUPATION,
AND AG!!:, FOR THOSE :EMPLOYED AT OCCUPATIONS OTHER THAN
THE USUAL IN MAY 1936
!usual ooeupation
8
Ooeupation or last job
Total Weaver•
Men lroNn
Total
Skilled
Weaver (textile)
Loan fixer (textile)
Installer (oil burner)
Painter (self-employed)
Semiskilled
Creeler (carpet end rug)
Spinner (carpet yarn)
Spinner boy (carpet end rug)
Carders• helper (upholstery)
Baler (carpet yarn)
Spinning-machine operator
(carpet yarn)
Frame tender (woolens and
worsteds)
ltnitter (woolens and
worsteds)
Pasting-machine operator
(paper box)
Assembler (radio)
Coil winder (radio)
Solderer (radio)
Battery charger (radio)
Milkman (retail dairy)
Sewing-machine operator
(Federal government)
Unskilled
Special officer (radio)
Dismantler (second-hand
automobiles)
Laborer (city government)
Laborer (Federal government)
Laborer (private families)
Oe.rdener (landscaping)
Night watchman (carpet rug)
Clerical
Stockroom clerk (radio)
Truck: dispatcher (warehouse)
Highway inspector (city
government)
Domestic and parsonal service
Steward (social club)
Bartender {taproom)
Chauffeur (private family)
Owner (rooming house)
Executive, professional, and
semiprofessional
Owner (retail grocery)
Owner (taproom)
Huckster (self-employed)
Boys' leader (boys' club)
49
9
5
l
l
2
Age in year•
Loom
60 and
tbera 16-29 :50-M 45-59 over
(Men)
36
5
B
9
20
ll
9
2
0
7
0
3
2
l
4
4
l
-
-l
-l -
-
18
14
l
l
l
l
4
5
-
-
l
0
5
ll
-
l
l
l
l
1
l
-
l
l
l
l
-
-
l
l
2
-
3
-
1
l
l
l
-
1
1
1
-
l
l
-
l
---
-2
--
l
l
-
-
l
0
4
-
-
1
-
9
8
0
l
l
2
1
l
2
1
l
3
3
l
l
1
l
l
1
1
-
-
-
0
-
-
2
0
0
l
-
5
5
l
l
l
l
al. e,, occupation at which employed at time
-
-
1
0
0
-
-
l
l
-
-
-
May
Digitized by
l
-
-
-
-
-
l
3
-
l
l
l
-
-
-
of interview in
l
l
l
l
2
2
-
2
0
l
l
-
1
2
l
3
-
4
-
l
-
-
-
5
l
2
l
l
-
-
-
-
0
l
0
2
-
l
l
-
l
1
-
-l
1
l
-
-
-
1
2
-l
-
-
l
- l
2
l
-
--
2
--
-
2
-l
-
-
l
1
2
l
1
l
-
2
l
l
l
1
-
1
-
-
l
-
1936,
Google
-0
-
--
2
-
-
1
-l
0
-
-
2
l
-l
l
-l
-
APPENDIX A
71
Table 15.- OCCUPATIOII OF LAST JOB, BY SOCIOECONCMIC GROUP
USUAL OCCUPATION, AND AGE, FCI! TBOOE
UNEMPLOYED IN MAY 1936
Age in ye&rl
Usual occupation
Occupation or last job
Total
Weavers
Men Women
Total
Same as ueual
Other than usual
Skilled
Loom
fixers
over
102
80
18
4
8
36
29
50
84
18
70
10
12
2
2
G
27
27
24
2
8
2
6
-
-
-
2
-
l
l
l
-
6
2
- -
2
l
-
l
l
l
- -l
1
1
-
Unskilled
Laborer (radio)
Laborer ( contracting)
1
l
1
1
-
----
Clerical
Sales clerk (retail)
2
2
-
Domestic and personal service
Elevator operator (textile
dyeing)
Cleaner (public school)
Ambula.nce driver (hos)ital)
Bartender (restaurant
Waitress (restaurant)
1
1
l
1
l
1
-l --1
--
Executive, professional, a.nd
semiprofessional
Owner (retail store)
1
Weaver
Semiskilled
Assembler (radio)
Solderer (radio)
Helper in maintena.nce
department (radio)
Packer ( candy)
Cotton dipper (textil~
dyeing)
16-29 30-44 45-69 60 and
(Men)
2
l
2
-
1
1
l
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
1
-
-
2
-
-
-
--
--1
-
l
1
1
-
-l
-
-
-1
1
-
-
-
Digitized by
l
--
---
-
1
-
-
Google
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
72
Table 16.- DURATION OF UNEIIPLOTIIENT SINCE LAST Joe• FOR THOSE UNElll'LOYED II VAT 19:le
EY TH£ USUAL OCCUPATION, THE USUAL INDUSTRY, AND ACE
?y the lJsus.1 Occupation
Weavers
Lo011l f'1xer1
(lien)
Total
Duration
in montha
Total
Total b
1-4
5-16
17-28
29-40
41-62
53-64
66-76
77-88
89-100
Percent
100,0
22.6
28.0
12.9
11.8
5.4
9.7
5.4
2.1
2.1
Percent
ber
Percent
96
100.0
93
21
27
12
117
9
21.9
28.l
12,5
ll.4
7.3
9.4
5.2
2.1
2.1
21
26
12
11
6
9
5
2
2
6
2
2
Median duration
Number
ber
Num-
Nurn-
Num-
ber
Percent
ber
oent
78
100,0
15
100,0
3
100,0
16
20
11
10
5
8
5
2
l
20.5
25.6
14.l
12.8
6.4
10.3
6.4
2.6
1.3
6
6
l
l
0
l
0
0
l
33,3
40.0
6,7
6.7
0
l
0
0
16,9
17.6
Women
Men
Num-
-6.7
6.6
-
33.3
-
66.7
2
-
0
0
0
0
-#
11,0
20.8
Per-
By the Usual Induatry
Woolens and
worsteds
Total
Duration
in aontha
Total b
1-4
5•16
17-28
29-40
41-62
53-64
65-76
77-88
89-100
ber
Percent
96
21
27
12
11
7
Upholstery
gooda
Num-
Per-
cent
Number
Per-
ber
cent
llumber
Per•
cent
100,0
21
100,0
21
100,0
64
100,0
21.9
28.1
12.5
11.4
7.3
9,4
6.2
2, l
2,1
6
6
2
3
0
3
0
0
l
28.6
28.6
9.5
14.3
.3
5
6
2
l
l
l
l
l
14,2
23.8
28.5
9.5
4.8
4,8
4.8
4,8
4,8
12
16
4
6
6
5
22,2
29.6
7.4
11,l
11.1
9,3
7.4
1.9
Num-
9
6
2
2
17,6
lledian duration
Carpets and
rugs
-
14,3
-4,7
15,0
4
l
0
23,0
-
16,6
By Age
Age in years
Total
Dur&tion
in 110ntha
16-29
NumTotal b
1-4
5-16
17-28
29-40
41-52
63-64
65-76
77-88
89-100
Median duration
ber
Percent
96
100,0
21
27
12
11
7
9
6
2
2
21.9
28,l
12,6
11,4
7,3
9,4
5.2
2,1
2,1
17,6
30-44
Num-
Per-
Nun,-
ber
oent
ber
Percent
8
100.0
30
3
3
l
l
0
0
0
0
0
37,5
37,5
12,6
12,6
6
12
-
--*
4
3
l
2
l
l
0
60 and over
45-59
Per-
Per•
Nurnber
cent
Humber
cent
100.0
28
100.0
30
100.0
20.0
40,0
13,4
10.0
3,3
6,7
3.3
3,3
5
6
4
3
2
l 7.9
21,4
14,3
10,7
7.1
14,3
10,7
3.6
7
6
3
23,4
20.0
10,0
13,3
13.3
10,0
3,3
-
14,5
4
3
1
0
-
27.5
&Or 1inoe a period ot not seeking work,
bExolude1 6 per1ons who became unemployed in Way 1936,
#Base too omall tor calculation.
Digitized by
Google
4
4
3
l
0
2
-
6,7
27,0
APPENDIX A
73
Table 17.- DURATION O!' UH!MPLOnml'l' SINCE LAST J'OB FOR THOSl!: tJNJMPLOnD
IN MAY 1936, B'f NUMB'!ll OF WNI'l'.S OF UNJ!JdPLO\'MENT, AvmAGE LENGTH
OF UNm'LOYMENT PERIODS, AND LENGTH OF LONGEST PERIOD
OF ONJ!)fi'LOYMD;'l', 1926-35
Number of
Number of months of unemployment, 1926-35
months Total
since
None 1-12 13-24 25-36 37-46 49-60 61-72 73-84 85-96 97-108 109-120
last joba
Totalb
1-4
5-16
17-28
29-40
41-52
53-64
65-76
77-88
89-100
96
11
22
13
8
14
21
27
12
11
5
17
3
3
7
-l
2
2
l
6
l
11
7
9
5
2
2
-
-
-·
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
10
-
l
2
l
2
-
4
4
0
l
-2
l
-
-
--
-2
-
-l
-
-
-
l
l
l
6
-
7
-
9
-
-5
-
l
1
-
-
2
-
-
Median months of unemployment, 1926-35:
For those unemployed less than 17 months since last job: 8.4
For those unemployed 17 months and over ■ ince last job: 49.7
Number of
months since
last joba
Totalb
1-4
5-16
17-28
29-40
41-52
53-64
65-76
?7-88
89-100
Average length of unemployment periods, l926-35c
Total
None
l-12
13-24
25-36
37-48
49-60
61-72
73-84
85-96
96
11
33
18
12
7
7
5
2
l
21
27
12
11
9
22
l
l
3
9
4
l
-
-
6
-l
--
-
-
11
7
9
5
2
2
-
-
-
-
l
-
-
2
2
7
-
l
-
-
6
l
-
5
-
2
-
l
Median average length of unemployment periods, 1926-35:
For those unemployed less than 17 months since last job: 6.2
For those unemployed 17 months end over since last job: 35.2
Number of
months since
last joba
Totalb
1-4
5-15
17-28
29-40
41-52
53-64
65-76
77-88
89-100
Length of longest period of unemploym:,nt, 1926-35
Total
None
1-12
13-24
96
12
30
12
21
27
12
12
8
22
-
11
-
7
9
5
2
2
-
--
-
2
10
-
37-46
49-60
61-72
73-84
85-96
13
9
9
6
3
2
l
1
l
-l
l
7
-5
-
-
10
-9
-
-
25-36
-
-
-
l
l
-2
-
Median length of longest period of unemployment, 1926-35:
For those unemployed less than 17 months since last job: 6.0
For those unemployed 17 months and over since last job: 41.7
aor since a period of not seeking work.
bExcludes 6 persons who been.me unemployed 1n May 1936.
cThe average used is the arithmetic mean.
Digitized by
Google
-
-2
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
74
Table 18.- EIIPLOYMENT STATUS& OF Sli7 WEAVERS AllD LOOI! Jl!DRS
Ill THE THREE SELECTED IIIDUSTRIES, BY IIJNTHS, 1926-35
--- - ------llonth
A
s_Glo_
---
A
January
February
llaroh
April
!lay
June
July
August
September
October
Nonmber
December
January
Februf\ry
Maroh
April
).lay
June
July
August
Sept~rnb~r
October
Nov~mber
Deoetnbez-
---
C
B
D
A
B
1927
1926
290
290
290
290
287
286
283
282
287
289
289
287
38 7
39 6
40 7
41 6
43 7
44 8
45111
44 12
59 11
36 12
36 14
36 16
233
232
232
230
233
232
223
221
221
221
219
219
53
53
52
53
51
51
53
55
55
63
53
52
--1931
22
22
20
20
20
19
18
19
20
20
18
18
59 12
58 14
59 14
62 12
62 11
63 11
69 12
70 11
71 10
73 10
75 10
76 10
--~
289
290
287
286
287
284
283
285
287
283
285
264
----211
210
207
206
207
203
200
204
208
211
206
206
36
34
36
37
59
39
39
16
13
14
16
13
18
21
19
38 18
39 21
37 23
38 23
~1932
18
20
21
18
18
16
14
15
14
14
12
12
286
286
290
290
289
283
283
282
286
285
283
281
38
39
37
37
40
38
40
43
42
41
43
45
52
51
52
52
51
50
47
47
49
47
46
46
11
11
11
11
11
13
16
15
13
13
12
12
201
200
197
195
193
195
200
209
214
215
212
208
47
46
47
48
47
49
49
49
50
48
.f.7
47
'°
83
85
87
88
83
91
94
91
87
86
93
94
C
D
A
22
21
19
19
18
25
24
2S
19
21
21
23
A
D
12
11
11
11
10
11
10
9
10
10
10
10
278
276
280
279
276
274
273
274
277
270
265
263
44
H
46
46
47
49
55
54
52
56
56
56
12
12
11
11
12
13
15
12
11
10
10
9
-206
206
204
205
208
204
199
203
209
216
217
217
C
B
D
19SO
1929
1933
97
99
102
103
105
100
93
87
82
84
88
93
C
B
1928
24
26
22
23
24
26
24
22
20
22
27
29
9
9
9
268
256
254
248
246
242
238
236
234
235
257
237
65
53
54
64
52
52
53
62
55
57
56
66
46 96 9
44 97 10
45 96 12
45 96 11
45 95 9
42 102 9
43 104 11
45 99 10
46 92 10
45 90 6
45 91 4
44 92 4
221
222
221
223
225
224
225
224
226
225
217
211
45
44
44
44
43
42
43
43
45
43
42
44
11
11
10
9
10
8
7
7
8
--
1934
M 10
:16
:17
43
46
50
53
55
58
56
53
53
12
12
12
15
13
l!
14
12
10
11
11
1955
86
86
87
85
83
84
82
84
81
84
93
97
5
5
5
5
6
7
7
6
5
5
5
5
°Key used for employment 1tatu ■ 1 A denote ■ "employed in the oeleoted ind1:otries"1 B, •.,,...
ployed in other indu1trieo" I c, "\Dlniployed" I D, "not oeeking work,"
Table 19,- !:MPLOYM!.'N1' S7ATUS'- OP 76 WEAVERS AND WOM FIXERS IN 'l'"dE WOOLENAN~ WORS1'ED--GOODS IND;;srny, BY MONTHS, 1926-35
- .
Month
A
B
C
[\
1926
January
February
March
.A.pril
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
61
61
60
60
58
58
59
57
68
57
58
57
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
JO
10
10
10
12
12
11
11
10
10
10
10
3
3
3
3
5
3
5
4
4
4
3
3
A
B
C
D
1927
-~ - 57 10 6 3
58 10 5 3
58 10 5 3
67 11 6 3
58 12 5 3
68 14 4
67 15 4
55 16 4 l
55 16 4 l
64 16 6 1
56 14 5 l
57 14 4 l
-
-
A
l_n
-57
59
69
59
60
5tt
57
67
67
66
56
56
C
1928
- 14
4
12
4
12
4
12
4
2
13
12
4
12
4
12
5
12
5
12
6
12
6
12
6
D
B
A
C
1932
A
l
l
l
l
l
2
3
2
2
2
2
2
56
56
57
65
65
56
5-l
55
66
56
55
65
12
12
15
14
15
15
15
15
14
16
15
15
1933
B
C
D
1930
-- - ~
6
6
4
5
4
3
5
4
4
4
4
4
'-------
1931
D
1929
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
53
62
51
50
.f.9
50
50
<18
<19
48
49
49
15 6
15 6
15 7
15 8
15 9
14 10
13 12
14 12
13 12
13 13
12 13
13 12
2
5
3
5
3
2
l
2
2
2
2
2
.__________.
1934
1935
-~- - 2
42 10 21 5
47 9 19 l
41 14 19 2
43 10 20 3
2
41 10 22 3
42 10 21 5
41 13 20 2
46 9 20 l
38 14 22 2
40 10 23 3
2
47 11 17 l
41 11 21 3
2
37 14 23 2
38 10 26 3
47 10 18 1
41 10 23 2
May
2
40 10 23 3
38 14 22 2
41 11 25 l
47 10 13 l
2
39 10 24 3
38 12 23 3
39 10 26 l
49 9 17 l
July
44 15 15 2
37 11 25 3
41 9 22 4
38 9 27 2
52 9 14 l
Auguat
43 16 15 2
38 12 23 3
41 10 21 4
40 11 24 l
50 9 16 l
Septembor
42 16 16 2
39 12 22 5
41 11 19 5
49 9 17 l
40 11 22 5
October
, 41 15 18 2
42 11 20 3
41 10 20 5
42 10 22 2
48 9 19
Nonm!,er
: 41 15 18 2
39 10 22 6
43 9 21 3
44 10 21 l
46 10 20
22 3
•17 10 19
45 9 25 l
Deoe~•_:: _L4! 15 _! 7 -2 - - 43 9 21 -3 - ' - - -41- 10
--'---'----'--- -~. - •Key uaed ror employment ■tatus: A denotes "employed at the usua.l occupation" r B, 11 e~
11
ployed at other oocupo.tions"; C, unemployed" J D, "not ao&ldn« work."
-~~
January
February
llaroh
April
50
51
50
48
48
15
13
14
15
15
--....---.---
11
10
10
11
11
,~- ·r.,
-
Digitized by
Google
APPENDIX A
20.- IMPLODlll:IIT STArus& Cl' 116 WEAVKl!S AID LOCll PIDIIS
II THI CAllPIT AID ROG lBDUSTRY, BY llOll'l'llS, 1926-36
Table
Month
A B
C
D
A
86
85
85
86
85
85
85
85
86
86
87
87
20
22
22
22
22
22
21
21
21
21
20
19
t
65
65
67
67
65
66
66
67
64
62
26
25
23
23
22
22
24
24
24
23
23
23
D
A
1927
4
3
3
2
2
2
5
6
5
6
6
4
6
6
6
4
4
4
4
5
6
3
3
4
87
86
84
85
86
86
86
88
88
86
86
19
19
20
20
20
19
19
18
17
17
18
19
a,
1931
Jan11&ry
February
ll&roh
April
llay
June
July
Auguat
September
October
llcTember
Decaber
C
B
1926
January
February
ll&roh
April
llay
June
July
August
September
October
llcrnmber
December
76
23
24
25
25
24
24
23
22
22
22
25
27
6
5
5
5
4,
5
6
4
6
7
8
9
60 22 29
59
57
58
59
58
59
60
62
62
60
60
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
22
24
25
25
25
26
26
26
25
25
25
30
30
28
27
28
26
25
24
25
27
27
D
A
1928
3
6
6
5
5
5
6
5
5
5
3
3
83
83
85
86
84
82
81
81
82
82
81
80
1932
2
2
2
2
C
B
20 9
20 9
20 7
20 7
20 8
20 10
22 10
23 9
24 7
24 7
25 7
25 8
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
78
77
77
76
75
75
77
78
77
76
75
74
25
25
27
27
27
27
29
28
31
31
31
31
3
3
2
2
2
l
l
l
65
64
66
68
69
69
66
65
67
68
68
69
21
21
21
21
21
20
19
20
19
19
18
18
1933
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
~
3
3
3
3
59
57
57
59
59
61
67
69
72
71
69
67
26
26
25
26
25
25
23
23
21
21
21
21
27
29
31
28
29
28
24
22
22
23
25
27
B
D
C
A
1929
3
3
2
2
2
l
9
10
9
10
11
12
9
9
6
7
8
-l
l
l
l
9
n
68
67
66
65
64
63
63
64
66
65
66
1934
-
C
D
11
15
14
16
15
17
19
19
21
18
18
19
2
2
2
2
3
4
4
4,
2
l
2
2
B
1930
31
30
32
31
32
50
29
29
28
30
30
28
1935
-
29
29
26
24
23
24
27
27
25
25
27
26
1
2
2
2
2
3
3
4
3
2
2
70
71
72
71
73
69
67
68
18
18
18
19
19
19
19
19
n 19
70 18
68 18
67 18
25
24
23
23
20
23
25
25
22
24
26
27
2
2
2
2
3
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
•Key used tor empl~1.-.1tatua1
ployed at other oooupationa" J
A denotes "employed at the usual occupat1on" l B, • c, "unemployed"; D, "not seeking work."
fable 21.• EIIPLODIEllT STATU~ OF 166 WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
II THB UPHOLSTERY-GOODS IIIDUSTRY, BT MONTHS, 1926-35
Jlmlth
A
B
C
D
131
132
132
133
133
132
131
132
133
134
132
132
20
19
21
21
20
21
21
20
18
17
18
18
l
l
l
1
2
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
14
14
12
11
11
10
11
11
12
12
12
12
134
135
134
133
133
130
129
131
132
132
131
131
1931
January
February
llarch
1pril
llay
J,me
July
August
September
Ootober
November
December
106
105
105
106
108
108
105
103
103
103
104
104
27
27
27
26
24
24
23
24
25
26
25
25
A
25 8
24 10
24 10
26 8
27 7
27 7
31 7
33 6
33 5
33 5
32 5
32 5
17
16
16
17
17
16
16
17
17
17
17
17
3
3
4
6
6
9
12
11
9
9
10
10
12
12
12
10
10
11
9
7
8
8
8
8
132
132
133
133
133
132
130
129
132
131
130
129
•Key used for employment status:
ployed at other oocupat1on11"; C,
25
25
24
23
22
23
18
18
20
20
19
18
11
35
35
35
37
39
40
43
43
41
41
45
46
D
A
8
7
7
7
6
6
5
5
6
6
6
6
129
128
129
131
130
128
127
127
128
126
122
121
49 6
48 6
48 6
50 6
53 7
48 9
47 10
44 7
41 6
41 5
41 5
44 6
93
94
91
90
92
90
90
91
94
98
97
~7
17 9
19 8
18 8
18 8
19 8
l7 11
21 10
23 9
21 7
21 8
22 8
22 9
5
5
6
5
5
6
9
8
7
7
6
6
93
95
94
91
87
87
86
94
97
99
99
95
18
17
18
19
19
22
23
21
22
21
21
21
B C D
A
22
22
22
22
21
22
24
25
23
23
23
23
9
10
9
8
9
11
10
9
10
11
15
16
6
6
6
5
6
5
5
5
5
6
6
6
122
123
122
119
117
113
111
111
109
110
111
110
21
21
21
21
20
23
25
23
24
25
26
27
6
6
7
7
6
6
6
6
3
1
l
l
97
97
94
96
95
96
98
98
99
101
95
89
25
25
23
24
24
24
23
23
24
22
22
24
D
17
15
16
19
22
23
22
24
25
24
22
22
6
7
7
7
7
7
8
8
8
7
7
7
1935
1934
20
19
19
20
19
18
20
21
24
24
25
25
C
B
1930
1929
1933
1932
101
101
102
101
100
97
96
97
98
98
96
96
C
B
1928
1927
1926
January
February
l!arch
April
May
June
July
1uguat
September
October
NoTember
Deoaber.
B C D
A
47
47
49
49
49
52
50
48
45
43
43
43
42
42
47
44
45
44
43
4,3
42
41
47
51
A denotos "employed at the usua.l occupation"; B, "emunemployed 11 ; ~ . " not seeking work."
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2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
l
2
2
2
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
76
Table 22.- AVERAGE NUllBER OF llO!ff!IS OF SPECIFIED TYPES OF IIIPLOYIIE!ff EXPERIENCE, 1926-:15
BY THE USUAL OCCUPATION AND THE USUAL INDUSTRY
By the Usual Occupation
Weawr ■
Loom fixer,
(lien)
Total
lien
Total
Type of
employment experience
W01118n
Peroent
Anrage
aontha
Per-
120.0
100.0
120.0
100.0
65,7
16.6
16,5
2.4
77.6
15,4
15,5
11.7
64,7
12.8
12,7
9,8
77,4
26,6
H,1
1.9
64.5
22.2
11,7
1.6
so.o
100.0
60.0
100.0
60,0
100,0
73,5
15.7
6.8
4,0
43.9
10.1
4.1
1,9
73.2
16,8
6,8
3.2
45,4
4,6
4,8
6.2
75.6
7,7
8,0
8,7
4-4,0
12,0
2,9
1,1
73.4
20.0
60.0
100.0
60,0
100.0
so.a
100.0
60.0
100.0
34,6
8,9
H,8
1,7
67,7
14,8
24,7
2,8
35.0
8.6
15.4
1.0
68,5
52,2
10,8
10,5
605
55,7
18.o
17,5
10,8
33.4
14,6
11,2
o.8
56,7
24,3
18,7
1.a
Per- Anrage
cent months
Anrage
m.onthe
Peroent
A..,,rage
120.0
100.0
120.0
100.0
120.0
100.0
78.6
18,9
18, G
3,9
65.5
15.7
15,5
3,5
78.7
18.3
18.9
4.1
65,6
15,3
15,7
3.4
78,9
18.7
19,5
2.9
60,0
100.0
60.0
100.0
4-4.1
9,6
4,1
2.2
73.5
16,0
6,8
3,7
4-4.l
9.4
4,1
2,4
60.0
100,0
34,5
9,3
14,5
1,7
57,5
15,5
24.,2
2,8
month ■
Per- Average
oent lllOntha
cent
1926-35
Total time
Elllployed
At the usual oooupation
At other occupation•
Un9111ployed
Not aeeld:lg work
1926-30
Total time
Employed
At the usue.l occupation
At other occupations
Unemployed
Not 1eeldng work
,.a
1,8
1951-35
Total time
Employed
At the usual oo~upation
At other occupations
Unemployed
Not seeking. work
--
a.5
2So7
1,7
By the Usual lnduatry
Woolen.a and
Total
worsted ■
Type of
employment experience
Carpet,
and rup;e
Upholstery
good•
Peroent
Average
montha
Per-
csnt
Awrage
month•
Percent
Average
month•
Per-
months
120.0
100.0
120.0
100.0
120,0
100.0
120.0
100.0
78,6
18,9
18.6
3,9
65,5
15.7
15,5
3,3
77,8
19,0
19,8
5.4
64,9
15,8
16,5
2,8
76.5
24.0
17.8
2.9
62.S
20,0
14,8
2,4
81.2
15,4
18,6
4.8
67.7
12,8
16,5
4.0
60.0
100.0
60,0
100.0
60,0
100,0
60,0
100,0
4-4,l
9,6
4.1
43,9
10.1
4,3
1,7
75,2
16,8
1.2
2,8
41.5
12,5
4,6
1,6
68,8
20,8
7,7
2.1
46,1
7.4
3.6
2,9
76,9
12.s
6,0
2.2
73.S
16,0
6.8
5.7
60,0
100,0
60.0
100,0
so.o
100.0
so.a
100.0
34,5
9,3
14,5
1,7
57,5
15,5
24,2
2.8
33.9
8.9
16,6
1,7
66.5
14,8
25,9
2,B
54,0
11,5
13.2
1,5
56,6
19,2
22,0
2,2
55,1
8.0
16,0
1.9
58,5
1s.s
211.0
5,2
AYer&&•
oent
1926-56
Total time
Einploy&d
A.t the usual oocupation
At other oooupationa
Unemployed
Not seeking work
1926-30
Total time
l'llllployed
At the ua~l oooupat1on
At other oooupationa
Unemployed
Not HekiDf; work
4,,6
1951-56
Total time
Employed
At the uaual oocupa.tion
At other oocupa.tiona
U...mployed
Not aeelting work
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APPENDIX A
77
Table 21.- .AVERAGE IIIIIBEB OF ll<IITl!S OF SPECI7IED TYPES C, l!IIPLOYIIEIIT EXPERIENCI>, 1926-:lti
BT .&GIi AJID D'Pl,OTMEIIT STATUS IN 11AY 1936
By Age
Age in years
Total•
ryp.or
•ploymant oxporionce
30-44
16-29
ATerage
months
Per- Anrag•
cent mOD.tha
45-69
Per- Ann.ge
oent month•
Por- ATerage
cent month ■
60 and oTer
For- ATen.ge
cent month ■
Percont
1926-56
Total t1l!'aployed
.lt UIIU&l oooupaticm
At other oooupationa
Unaaployed
Not 1eek:i1:1,; work
120.0
100.0
120.0
100.0
120.0
100.c
120.0
100.0
120.0
100.0
11.e
e4,e
16,l
15,7
3.6
62.l
37.7
14.6
16.6
43.4
51,4
12.2
13,0
82.l
17,8
15.6
4,6
ea.4
19,3
18,8
4.3
83.l
14.0
21.e
1.1
69.2
11.7
16.2
0.9
75 .5
19,6
23.4
l .f
62.9
16.3
1s.5
1.3
60.0
100.0
60.0
6:1.e
10.1
4.1
2.2
72. 7
16.e
e.e
3. 7
u.e
13.0
3.8
1926-30
Total time
Employed
,l,t the uoual occupation
.&t other oooupaticm.a
U-loyed
Nat eeeking work
I
100.0
eo.o
34.6
9,2
u.s
1.8
100.0
67.6
16.3
24.2
3,0
45. 7
I
I
60,0
17. 7i
lli,O
4.9
3.o,
I
100.01
I
'
36.8
a.e
12 .o
2.4
6-lJ
I
.11
14
20.01
4,0
I
I
0.4
60,0 · 100.c
79.l
12.0
8.2
45.3
9.2
4.8
0.1
0.1
75.6
16,3
a.o
1.2
i
!I
i
60,0
47,4
25.3
20.0
7,3
47 .s
1.2
! s.e
l.8
100.0
28.4
15,2
12.0
4,4
~60:0i~~o
76.2
I
9.0
3.5
11
1931-35
Total tillle
Elaployed
At the usual oocupation
At other occupation■
Unamployed
Not a ..ki.ng work
eo.o : 100.c
- --7---
24.0 I 40,01
22.6
37 .6:
2.8
4.
10.e
I
60.0 1100.0
60.0 °1()(,.0
35.~
6,B
16. 7
31.0
10.1
18.2
0.7
0.6
59.9
11,3
21 .e
1.0
51. 7
16.e
3(),3
1.2
By Empl"1"'8nt Statua
!aployod -
Total
At other
oooupatio1ll!I
At the uaual
Type or
oooupatlon
Unemployed
•ployaant experienoe
Ann.g•
m.onth1
Peroent
Average
months
Peroent
A'T9r&ge
11onth1
Percent
ATerage
rnonthe
Peroent
120.0
100,('
120.0
100.0
48.8
55,0
15.5
2, 7
40.7
45.a
11.2
100.0
so.co
100.0
76. 7
14.7
5.3
3.3
37.3
16.9
3.8
2.0
62 .2
28.2
6.3
3,3
60.0
100.0
60.0
100,0
11.5
38,l
9,7
0.7
19,l
63,5
116.2
1.2
25,l
25.4
3.2
41,8
10.5
42.4
5.3
11126-35
120.0
100.0
120.0
100.0
Total tillle
t-----i----+------+--·-- t-·Ellployed
75.5 I
1s.e
90.6
At the u ■ual occupation
.lt other occupation.a
18.9
12.e
10. 1 I
13.5
Unemployed
18.6
11,2 I
2.6
3.1
lfot ■ eek:ing work
3.9
----1---+-----+--57 .1
ll.7
26.2
5.0
2 .~
1926-30
Total tillle
Elaployod
At the u ■ ual occupation
At other occupation■
Unemployed
Not ■ eeking work
eo.c
100.0
60.0
75.S
16,('
s.e
3. 7
46.0
a.a
3,2
2.0
1
I
60.0
100.0
72.E
12.e
10.0
4.7
I
1931-36
Total time
Elaployed
At the u ■ual occupation
At other ocoupe.tione
Unmnployod
lfot •••king work
60,0
34.5
9.3
u.s
1.7
100.0
60,0
44.6
4,0
10.3
1.1
100,0
6.~
th•••
~ecau■•
figure• . . r• obtained tra1n grouped data deri..-ed from source• other than total manmontha, IMll diacrepanciee occur between the total oolU'llffle on thie table and those on table 22.
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
78
Table 24.- NUMBER OF YEARS EMPLOYED AT THE USUAL OCCUPATION
BY EMPLOYMENT STATUS IN MAY 1936
Employed Total
Number of
At the usual
oocupetion
year ■
Number
Totals.
356
--
Percent
ber
Peroent
ber
Percent
ber
Peroent
100.0
206
100.0
49
100.0
101
100.0
6.3
9.7
19.4
11.0
13.l
7
15
6
14.3
30.7
12.2
12.2
8.2
5
5.o
8.9
22.s
9.9
11.9
14,6
6.8
5.3
3.9
3.9
4
l
--
Num-
Less than 4 yr.6 mo.
4 yr.6 mo.-9 yr.5 mo.
9 yr.6 mo.-14 yr.5 mo.
14 yr.6 mo.-19 yr.5 mo.
19 yr.6 mo,-24 yr.5 mo.
25
44
69
51
43
1.0
12.4
19.4
14.3
12.1
13
20
24
29
34
39
44
46
21
23
15
19
1_2,9
5.9
6.5
4.2
5.3
30
14
yr.6
yr,6
yr.6
yr.6
yr.6
mo.-29 yr.5 mo.
mo,-34 yr.6 mo.
mo,-39 yr,5 mo.
mo,-44 yr.5 mo.
mo. and over
Unemployed
At other
occupations
Num-
-
40
36
27
11
8
8
6
4
Num-
9
23
10
12
8.2
2.0
8.2
2.0
2.0
4
l
l
12
6
8
6
10
11.9
6.9
7.9
6.9
9.9
-- --
Median number of years
18.5
-------------
18.9
12.0
21.2
----
aE:xcludes 1 man who did not report number of years employed at the usual
occupation,
Table 25.- NliMBER OF MONTI!S NOT SEEKING WORK BEFORE AND AFTER ENTERING
THE LABOR MARKET, 1926-35, BY SEX AND AGE IN MAY 1936
--
Total
Number of months
-
l
Se:x-1 Men
Women
Before
entering the
labor mnrket•
16-29
30-44
45-69
60 and
over
313
44
42
143
108
64
299
3
26
142
l
2
0
0
0
0
108
0
0
0
0
0
0
64
l
l
2
41
2
l
0
0
0
0
367
313
44
42
143
108
64
299
38
9
266
35
7
33
3
2
29
8
2
2
0
l
0
124
8
4
l
2
l
3
92
14
2
0
0
54
8
l
1
0
0
0
~
'I
None
1-12
13-24
25-36
37-48
49-60
61 and over
year ■
!
357
Total
I
Age in
MO
5
5
3
1
1
2
I
4
3
4
5
3
0
l
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
Af't;or entering the
labor DBrket
Total
None
1-12
13-24
25-56
37-48
49-60
61 and over
ill
1
l
0
2
4
2
3
----- ------
,...__
I
l
l
3
- -- ---
-
!
I
I
0
0
a340 of the workers entered the labor market prior to 1926.
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-
APPENDIX A
79
Table 26.- AVEIIAGE lUIBER OF IICJft'HS OF SP!CIFIID TYPES OF l!IIPLO'llmlT P:<PERHNCE, 1926-35
BY THE U~AL OCCUPATI~ AND l!)(PLODml'l' STATUS m MAY 1936
By the Usual Occupation
Weavers
Loom fixers
(Men)
Total
Type or employment
Total
Men
Women
experience
Total
l!lnployed
Full time
Part time
Unemployed 8
Not seeking worka
Average
months
Percent
Average
120.0
100.0
120.0
100.0
120.0
100.0
67 .8
29.l
18.8
4.3
56.5
24.2
15.7
3.6
66.8
30.l
19.0
4.1
55.7
25.1
15.8
3.4
66.6
31.0
19.5
2.9
55.5
25.8
16.3
2.4
Per- Averege
cent months
months
Per- Average
cent months
Percent
Average
months
Percent
120.0
100.0
120.0
100.0
68.4
24.6
15.3
11.7
57.0
20.5
12.7
9.8
82.5
21.5
14.1
1.9
68.7
17.9
11.8
1.6
By Employment Status
.l!lnployed Total
At the usual
occupation
Type or employment
experience
Total
l!lnployed
Full til!le
Part time
Unemployed"Not seeking work 8
At other
occupations
Unemployed
Average
months
Percent
Average
Per-
cent
ATerage
months
Percent
Average
months
months
Percent
120.0
100.0
120.0
100.0
120.0
100.0
120.0
100.0
67.8
29.l
18.8
4.3
56.5
24.2
15.7
3.6
71.-i
32.0
13.4
3.2
59.5
26.6
11.2
2.7
78.2
25.6
13.4
2.8
65.2
21.3
11.2
2.3
56.6
26.l
31.3
6.0
47.2
21.7
26.1
5.0
8
Because the averages in this table were secured from grouped data derived from sources
other than the count or man-months, an.all discrepancies occur between these figures and
those on tables 22 and 23.
Table 27.- AVERAGE LENGTH OF SERVICE ON RA.CH JOB AT THE U3JAI. OCCUPATION, 1926-358
"B'f l!MPLOYMmT ffi'ATUS m IIAY 1936
Einployed Total
Average length
At the ueual
occupation
in months
Number
At other
occupations
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Unemployed
Number
Percent
Totalb
356
100.0
205
100.0
49
100.0
102
100.0
None
4
44
1.1
12.4
18.8
lfl.O
11.8
16.3
2.5
2.3
2.5
2.5
11.8
2
19
34
41
24
40
2
2
3
l
37
1.0
9.2
16.6
20.0
11.7
19.5
1.0
1.0
1.5
0.5
18.0
l
7
14
10
2.0
14.3
28.6
20.4
8.2
10.2
6.1
4.1
4.1
2.0
1
18
19
13
14
13
1.0
17 .6
18.6
12.8
13.7
12.8
3.9
3.9
3.9
6.9
4.9
1-12
13-24
25-36
37-48
49-60
61-72
73-84
85-96
97-108
109-120
67
64
42
58
9
8
9
~
42
4
5
3
2
2
l
0
-
4
4
4
7
5
Median avere.p;e
length
Tot~l
Those reporting l er
,nore months
36.9
40.5
28.6
37.4
37 .4
41.0
29.2
37.9
8
The definition of this tcnu is given in appendix D. (See ''AverH.ge Length of Service per
Job at the Vsuul Occupation.")
bExcludes l man who did not report 9verage length of service.
Digitized by
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
80
Table 28.- Ntll,lmll ~ MONTHS OF UNlWPL<T:iMENT, 1926-35
m
BY THE U3JAL OCCUPATION AND AGE
MAY 1936
By the Usual Occupation
Weavers
Total
Tote.l
Number of months
Number
Total
None
1-12
13-24
25-36
37-48
49-60
61-72
73-84
85 e.nd over
Median number
of months
Total
Those reporting l or
more months
Per- Numcent ber
357
100.0 328
127
35.6 111
20.5 69
12,0 40
10.4 36
9.5 31
5.0 18
3.4 11
2.2
7
1.4
5
73
43
:57
54
18
12
8
5
100.0 284
fixer■
(lien)
Women
Per- Mumcent ber
Per- Numcent ber
33.8
21.0
12.2
11,0
9.5
5.5
3.4
2.1
1.5
Loom
Men
Per- llumcent ber
Percent
100.0
44
100.0
29
100.0
33.8
20.1
10,9
11.6
10,6
5,6
3,9
2.5
1,0
15
12
9
3
34,l
27.3
20.s
16
6,8
l
l
2.3
4,5
3
0
l
l
0
55.Z
13.8
10.4
J.4
10.4
96
57
31
33
30
lG
11
7
3
2
0
0
2
-
-
4.5
4
3
-3.4
3.4
-
9.5
10,3
10,8
8.5
0,9
24.9
24.9
27.4
17.0
if
45-59
60 and
over
Dy Ag,e
Age in years
Total
Per- Numcent ber
Num-
ber
Total
None
1-12
13-24
25-36
37-48
49-60
61-72
73-84
85 and over
Median number
of months
Total
Those reporting l or
more months
30-44
16-29
Number of months
357
100.0
42
127
73
43
37
34
35,6
20,5
12.0
10.4
16
12
3
2
9.5
10
5,0
3,4
2.2
1.4
6
2
12
8
5
Per- Numcent ber
Per- Numcent ber
100.0 143
38,l
38,5
7.1
4.8
14.3
4.8
2.4
l
0
0
-
-
100.0 108
48
38
19
15
33.5
26,6
1:5.3
11
8
2
2
0
10.5
7.7
5,6
1,4
1.4
-
Per- Numcent her
Percent
100.0
64
100.0
37.0
13,9
13.9
12.0
G.5
4.6
3.7
5.6
2.8
23
8
6
7
10
3
5
0
2
36,0
12.5
9.4
10.9
15.6
40
15
15
13
7
5
4
G
3
9.5
6.5
8.6
12.6
16.0
24,9
19.0
19.3
29.2
36,9
lr'Base too small for calculation,
Digitized by
Google
4.7
7.8
-
3.1
APPENDIX A
81
fable 29.- NUMBER OF IIONTHS OF UMEMPLOYl«ENT, 1926-35
BY EMPLOYMENT STATUS IN :U.Y 1936
Employed Total
At the usual
occupation
Number ot months
At other
occupations
Unemployed
-----
ber
Percent
Num-
Per'T
Num-
bar
Percent
bar
cent
bar
Percent
357
100.0
206
100.0
49
100.0
102
100.0
127
73
35.6
20.5
12.0
10.4
9.5
5.0
3.4
2.2
1.4
92
39
24
20
18
8
2
3
0
44.7
18.9
11.7
9.7
8.7
3.9
1.0
21
11
5
8
2
42.9
22.5
10.2
16.3
4.1
14
23
13.7
22.5
13.7
8.9
13.7
9.8
8.9
3.9
Num-
Total
lione
1-12
13-24
43
25-36
37
37-48
49-60
34
18
12
8
5
61-72
73-84
86 and O"t'9r
Median number of
months
Total
"nlose reporting l or
J110re months
NUii)-
1.4
-
-2.0
0
1
1
0
2.0
-
14
9
14
10
9
4
6
4.9
9.5
4.5
5,4
25,7
24.9
22.11
21.4
35.0
Table 30.- NUMBER OF MONTHS OF UNEMPLOYMENT, 1926-30 AND 1931-35
BY EMPLOYMENT STATUS IN MAY 1936
Employed Total
Number of months
Total
None
1-6
7-12
13-18
19-24
25-30
31-36
37-~
43-48
49-54
66-60
llediBll number
At the usual
occupation
At other
OCCllpations
Unemployed
1926
to
1930
1931
to
1935
1926
to
1930
1931
to
1936
1926
to
1930
1931
to
1935
1926
to
1930
1931
to
1935
357
357
206
206
49
49
102
102
238
49
142
48
26
29
16
25
16
14
142
30
15
12
1
103
24
16
14
7
14
31
8
3
23
7
4
65
11
6
6
1
0
11
l
1
16
17
6
10
6
8
4
6
6
9
14
27
21
7
6
4
1
l
l
11
1
6
5
3
3
0
0
0
0
3
3
1
2
0
0
1
4
l
0
0
0
9
4
6
2
2
1
l
2
12
18
o.a
5.6
0.7
1.1
a.a
2.7
0.0
21,5
9.4
20.9
a.o
18.1
10.0
16.0
12.3
28.4
1
ot
months
Total
'lbo■ e reporting 1 or
more D10ntha
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
82
To.ble 31.- liUJIBER OF PERIODS OF' U!'lEMPLOYllE!IT, 1926-36, BY 'l'llE USUAL OCCUPATIOll,
THE USUAL INDTTSTRY, A};D AGE Ill IIAY 1936
By the Usual Ocoupation
Weavers
Lota then
Toto.l
Number of periods
Number
Percent
lltunber
Percent
Jlumber
Percent
100.0
527
100.0
283
100,0
44
56,7
32.0
18,2
5.9
5,7
1,7
2,8
111
10-i
63
20
13
6
10
53,9
31,8
19,3
6.1
4.0
1.8
5,1
96
92
62
18
11
6
9
35,9
52,6
18,4
6.3
3.9
1.8
5,2
16
12
11
2
2
1
1
Num-
Per-
ber
oe,,t
Total•
356
None
127
114
65
21
13
6
10
1
2
5
4
5
6 and more
Median number
of period•
Total
Those report•
ing 1 or
more period.a
(lien)
Women
Men
Total
1,5
2.0
ber
Percent
100,0
29
100.0
M,l
27,5
25,0
4.5
-i,5
2,3
18
10
2
1
65,2
M,5
6,9
5,4
lfum-
--
0
0
0
2,5
1,6
1,6
1,6
0,9
2.1
2,0
2,5
*
By tho Usual Indu otry
Carpets and
rugs
Woolens and
Total
Number of periods
woretede
Percent
Number
Uphohtery
goods
Percent
!lumber
Number
Percent
Total•
356
100.0
76
100,0
116
100.0
165
100.0
None
127
114
66
21
13
6
10
36.7
32.0
18.2
6,9
3.7
1.7
2,8
24
24
10
7
6
51,6
31,6
13.2
9.2
7,9
2,6
5.9
42
36
36.5
31,3
17,4
6,1
4,4
1,7
2.6
61
64
56
7
2
2
4
57.0
52.7
21.2
1
2
5
4
6
6 and more
Medi ll.Il number
of periods
Total
!lumber
2
i
20
7
5
2
3
Percent
4.5
1.2
1.2
2.4
1.5
1,6
1,4
1,4
2,0
2.3
2,1
1,9
Those report-
ing 1 or
more periods
Age in years
Total
16-29
Number of period•
ber
Number
Percent
Humber
Percent
100.0
41
100.0
143
100.0
108
100,0
64
100.0
35.7
32,0
18.2
6,9
3.7
1,7
2,8
16
10
10
48
0
l
l
33
18
7
4
3
3
37,0
30,5
16,7
6,6
3.7
2,8
2.8
25
27
7
5
2
0
2
56,0
42,2
10,9
4,7
5.1
2,4
53,5
30,8
21,0
6.6
4.9
1.4
2,8
40
3
39,l
24,4
24,4
7.3
366
None
127
114
66
21
13
6
6 and more
Median number
of periods
Total
Those reporting 1 or
m.ore periods
60 and over
Percent
Toto.1 8
4
5
45-59
Humber
ber
l
2
3
30-44
Percent
Percent
N,m,-
10
Num-
-2,4
44
30
8
7
2
4
-3.1
1,6
1,5
1,5
1,4
1,4
2,0
2,3
2.1
2.1
1,8
2xclude• l person whoee only unemployment period, 1926-35, wa.e prior to hi ■ first job.
JrBase too 11ma.ll for c&lcula.tion.
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APPENDIX A
83
Table 32,- NUMBER OF PERIODS OF UNEMPLOY'.!i!ENT, 1926-35
BY EMPLOYMENT STATOS IN MAY 1936, AND TOUL
NUMBER OF MONTHS UNEMPLOYED, 1926-35
By Employment Status in May 1936
Employed Number
of
periods
Total
ber
Totala
356
100.0
206
None
l
2
127
114
35.7
32.0
18.2
5.9
3.7
1.7
2.8
92
52
36
12
65
21
13
6
10
3
4
5
6 and more
ber
Percent
100.0
49
100.0
44.7
25.3
17.5
5.8
1.9
1,9
2,9
21
15
9
3
0
0
l
42.9
30,6
18.4
6.1
Percent
Number
Percent
Num-
4
4
6
Unemployed
At other
occupations
At the
usual
oooupation
Num-
!
Percent
-------- -101 100.0
Number
14
47
20
6
9
2
-2.0
13.9
46.5
19.9
5.9
8.9
2.0
3.0
3
--~
Median number
of periods
Total
Those reporting l or
more periods
l,5
1.2
1,3
1,B
2.0
2.2
1.9
1.9
By Total Number of Months Unemployed, 1926-35
Number
of
periods
Totalb
l
2
3
4
5
6 and more
Number of months unemployed
Total
229
114
65
21
13
6
10
1-12 13-24 25-36 37-48 49-60 61-72 73-84 85 and
more
72
45
21
3
3
0
0
43
37
--
34
4
l
l
17
10
3
1
l
l
4
2
17
13
5
3
14
13
4
18
12
8
5
9
6
2
2
2
5
0
1
1
0
0
0
l
1
2
l
l
0
0
~
4
2
l
0
2
aExcludes l person whose only unemployment period, 1926-35, l'lll.S prior
to his first job.
bExcludes 127 persons who reported no unemployment and 1 person whose
only unemployment period, 1926-35, was prior to his first job.
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
84
Table 33.- AVERAGE IENGTH OF UNEMPLOYMENT PERIODS, 1926-35
BY THE USUAL OCCUPATION AND AGE IN MAY 1936
By the Usual Occupation
Weavers
Average length
in months
Total
None
1-12
13-24
25-36
37-48
49-60
61-72
73-84
85-96
Num-
Women
Loan tixere
(Men)
ber
Percent
ber
Percent
ber
Percent
ber
Percent
ber
Percent
357
100.0
328
100.0
284
100-.0
44
100.0
29
100.0
127
117
50
23
19
10
5
5
1
35.6
32.8
14.0
6.4
5.3
2,8
1.4
1.4
0,3
111
113
45
23
16
10
5
4
1
3'3.9
34.5
13.7
7.0
4.9
3.0
1.5
1.2
o.3
96
93
42
20
15
8
5
4
1
33.8
32.7
14.8
7.0
5.3
2.8
1.8
1.4
o.4
15
20
3
3
1
2
0
0
34.l
45.5
6.8
6.8
2.3
4.5
16
55.2
13.8
1'1.3
NumTotal
Men
Total
Median average
length
Total
Those reporting 1 or
more months
Num-
Num-
N1.U11-
4
5
0
3
0
0
1
0
--
0
-3.4
-
10.s
6.3
6.7
1.0
5.5
0.9
12,8
12.6
13.4
10.0
*
By Age
Age in years
Total
Average length
in months
16-29
30-44
45-59
60 and over
Num- Per- Num- Per- Num- Per- Num- Per- Num- PerTotal
None
1-12
13-24
25-36
37-48
49-60
61-72
73-84
85-96
Median average
length
Total
Those reporting 1 or
more months
ber
cent
ber
cent
ber
cent
ber.
cent
ber
cent
357
100.0
42
100.0
143
100.0
108
100.0
64
100.0
127
117
50
23
19
10
5
5
1
35.6
32.8
14.0
6.4
5.3
2.8
1.4
1.4
0.3
16
17
3
3
3
0
0
0
0
38.1
40,5
7.2
7.1
7,1
48
58
19
7
5
4
1
1
0
33.6
40.5
13.3
4.9
3.5
2.8
0.7
40
29
18
6
6
2
3
4
0
37.o
26.9
16.7
5.5
5.5
1.9
2.8
3.7
23
13
10
7
5
35.9
20.3
15.6
10.9
7.8
6.3
1.6
--
0.1
-
-
4
1
0
1
-
1.6
6.3
4.9
6.0
7.0
9.8
12.8
10.5
10.9
16.7
22.6
#Base too small for calculation.
Digitized by
Google
APPENDIX A
85
Table 34.- AVERAGE LENGTH OF UNPllPLOYMENT PERIODS, 1926-35
BY :DlPLOYIIENT STATUS IN MAY 1936
Employed Total
ATerage length
1n 1110ntha
None
1-12
13-24
25-36
37-48
49-60
61-72
73-84
85-96
U11G1ployed
At other
occupation ■
Percent
Per-
ber
cent
Number
Per-
cent
NU111-
ber
cent
Number
357
100.0
206
100.0
49
100.0
102
100.0
127
117
35.6
32.8
14.0
6.4
5,3
2,8
1.1
1,4
0.3
92
66
26
7
10
3
0
2
0
44,7
32,0
12.6
3.4
21
15
6
4
2
0
0
l
0
42,9
30.6
12.2
8.2
4.1
14
36
18
12
7
7
5
2
l
13,7
35.3
17,6
11.7
6,9
6.9
4,9
2.0
1.0
HumTotal
At the usual
oooupation
Per-
50
23
19
10
5
5
1
4.8
1.5
-1.0
-
-
-2.0
-
'lledian aTerage
length
Total
Those reporting l
or more
month11
6.3
3.1
4.2
14.0
12.s
11.5
12.6
18.7
Table 35.- AVERAGE LENGTH OF UNEMPLOYMENT PERIODS, 1926-30 AND 1931-35
BY EIU'LOYMENT STATUS IN MAY 1936
Employed Average length
1n 111DJ1th ■
Total
None
1-6
7-12
1:5-18
19-24
26-30
31-36
37-42
43-48
49-M
65-60
Total
At the usual
occupation
At other
occupation11
Unemployed
1926
to
1930
1931
to
1935
1926
to
1930
1931
to
1935
1926
to
1930
1931
to
1935
1926
to
1930
1931
to
1935
357
357
206
206
49
49
102
102
238
64
23
17
6
5
2
0
0
0
2
142
76
33
31
15
12
10
10
4
8
16
142
31
8
5
4
l
0
0
0
0
0
0
23
10
3
6
3
2
0
1
0
0
1
65
16
16
24
10
8
1
3
l
0
0
0
l
103
42
19
16
3
3
8
4
3
2
3
0
11
5
4
2
1
0
0
0
1
9
9
7
2
5
6
12
o.8
3.9
0,7
1.1
o.s
2.2
o.a
13.3
6.6
12,8
5,9
10,2
8.8
13,5
9.3
18.7
40
1
'lledian average
length
Total
Those reporting 1 or
more months
Digitized by
Google
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
86
Table 36.- LENGTH OF AND YEAR OF BEGINNING THE LONGEST
PERIOD OF UNEJIPLOYl!ENT, 1926•35, BY EllPLOYMENT
STATUS IN MAY 1936
Length of the Longest Period
Employed Total
Length
in
months
At the usual
occupation
At other
occupations
Unemployed
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
356
100.0
206
100.0
49
100.0
101
100.0
None
1-12
13-24
25-36
37-48
49-60
127
102
38
37
25
13
92
57
19
18
44.7
27.7
9.2
8.7
6.8
1.9
61-72
6
6
35.7
28.6
10.7
10.4
7.0
3,6
1.7
1.7
o.6
21
13
6
6
2
0
0
l
0
42.9
26.5
12.2
12.2
4.1
0
0
2.1
0
14
32
13
13
9
9
6
3
2
13.8
31.7
12.9
12.9
8,9
8.9
5,9
3.0
2.0
Total a
73-84
85-96
2
14
4
0
2
0
-1.0
-
Year of Beginning Longest Period
Employed Total
Year
Totalb
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
At the usual
occupation
At other
occupations
Unemployed
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
ber
Percent
229.
100.0
114
100.0
28
100.0
87
100.0
8
7
12
13
31
28
35
40
30
26
3.5
3.1
5.2
5.7
13,5
12.2
15.3
17.5
13.l
10.9
3
2.6
3.5
5.3
1.0
15.8
13.2
17.5
17.6
13.2
0
2
l
2
6
2
5
l
5
3
7
5.7
1.1
5.7
4
6
8
18
15
20
20
15
6
4.4
4
6
3
2
-7.1
3.6
7.1
21.6
7.1
14.3
21.5
10.7
7.1
Num-
11
11
14
12
18
3.4
8.1
12. 7
12.7
16.1
13.8
20.7
aExcludes l person whose only unemployment period, 1926-36, was
~rior to his first job.
Excludes 127 persons who reported no unemployment and l person
whose only unemployment period, 1926-36, was prior to his first
job.
Digitized by
Google
APPENDIX A
87
Table S7.- SOCIOECCWCIIIC Cl!ARACTER OF MA!I-IICfflHS OF EIIPLOYllEIIT AT CCCUPATIOIIS
01'HER THAll THE USUAL, 1926-SS, BY rm: USUAL CCCUPA TICW
-r-_: :~-t=a=l=,=:::::::::::::-=_=c:a_v=_e=~=•=_=-=_=_=_===:::;::=f=~=':'=r=s==
I
Socioeconomic group
of other occupe.tions
Total
lien
lfomen
(lien)
~um.- Per- ~um- PerPer- Hum- Per'' t:- Porcent her
cent ber
cent her
cent ber
cent
-Tot&l.--man-~------------ 6, 1,:;3 ,_1_00
___0_,_s--,-99-3---,-1_00
___0-t-s-,-31-4--.-~-oo-.-o-t-6-7-9---,-l-oo-.-o-t-7-7-o---,-1-oo-.-oI
~um-
Skilled occupations in:
Buildin& and construction
Metal products., machinery,,
and electrical-goods
manu.faoturing
Textile and clothin&
manufacturing
Other manufacturing e.nd
mechanical industries
Public service
Semiskilled occupations in:
Metal products., machinery,
and electrical-goods
manufacturing
Textile and clothing
manufe.oturing
Other manufacturing and
mechanical industries
Transportation and trade
pursuits
Public service
Unskilled labor
Clerical work
Domestic and personal service
Ex.ecuti ve,, professional, and
semiprofessional service
!
131
101
1.9
o
I
o
I
30
I
I
llS
115'
191:
I
641
14
I'
3891
s.s :
335
i1,199I 17.711,199
' 618!
618
429 1 6.3
1
45
0.7
876113.0
:!~ I ;:~
---------------
1,128
64
I
l .2
0
0 '
14
5.6
i
283
0
I
I
137 I
1371
I
72
I
1.1
0
0
179
3.4 156
23.0
54
20.0 1,077
20.3 122
18.0
0
10.3
427
8.o 191
0
4291 7 .1
45
0.8
1s1 12.5
613 10.2
527 10.5
429
45
751
598
432
8.1
O
0.8
0
14.l
0
11.3 15
8.1 195
0
0
7.0
125
2.2
28.7
16.2
0
19
2.5
lG.7
911 15.7
941 17.7
0
187
24.3
.~--~---~--~-----~~-~-~~--
Table S8.- SOCl<ECCWCIIIC CHARACTER OF MAN-IIONTHS OF EIIPLOYJ!ENT AT OCCUPATIONS
OTHER THAN THE USUAL, BEFCRE MD AFTER EIIPLDnlE!IT
AT THE USUAL OCCUPATION, 1926-35
- --
-
---Total
Socioeconomic group
of other occupo.tions
Total man-'l!lonths
Skilled ocoupe.tions in:
Building and construction
Metal products, machi:cory, and
electrical-goods ma.nufacturinr;
Textile and clothing manufacturing
electrical-goods manufacturing
Textile ond clothing mnnufacturini;
Other manufacturing and mechanical
industries
Transportation and trade pursuits
Publio service
Unskilled labor
Clari cal work
Domestic and personal service
Executive., professional, and semiprofessional service
Num-
Per-
ber
cent
5,317
100.0
0.8
119
2.2
5.4
3.4
113
298
2.1
5.6
137
14
2.6
o.3
323
611
6.1
ll.5
11.0
7.0
0.8
8.6
17 .2
9.5
585
373
45
751
364
509
3.7
1,075
Num-
ber
6,763
100.0
1,446
100.0
131
1.9
12
191
347
2.8
5.1
78
49
137
14
2.0
0.2
0
0
389
1,199
5.8
17.7
66
588
4.6
40.6
610
429
45
876
613
646
9.1
6.3
0.7
13.0
9.1
9.6
33
56
0
125
249
137
2.3
3.9
1,128
16.7
53
Percent
ber
other manufacturing and mechanical
industries
Public service
Semiskilled occupations in:
lletal products, machinery, and
After
Before
Peroent
Num-
Digitized by
-
-
!
I
:
I
I
Google
14.1
6.9
9.6
20.2
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
88
Table 59.- OCCUPATIONAL GROUP OF MAJORITY OF JOBS AT OCCUPATiaJS
OT!fER TIWJ THE USUAL, a BY AGE Ill VAY 1956
Age in years
Occupational group
Total
16-29
50-44
45-59
60 and
over
357
42
143
108
64
87
5
25
2
38
l
15
2
9
0
16
47
19
21
B
9
13
l
21
10
17
10
6
3
3
7
6
6
l
6
l
3
2
7
0
0
6
0
l
0
17
l
7
5
4
202
4
77
Bl
40
-·
Total
Skilled end semiskilled occupations
in manufacturing and mechanical
industries
Building and construction
Metal products, machinery, and
electrical-goods manufacturing
Textile and clothing manufacturing
Other
Unskilled labor
Clerical work
Transportation and trade pursuits
Domestic and personal service
Executive, professional, and semiprofessional occupations
No employment except at the usual
occupation
l
2
2
7
4
aThe definition of this term is given in appendix B. (See "Oooupational Group of
Majority of Jobs at Other Than the Usual Occupation.")
Table 40.- TYPES OF SHIFT EXPERIENCE, 1926-35, BY EMPLOYMENT STATUS
IN MAY 1936
Employed Type of
shift
Total
At the usual
occupation
At other
occupations
Unemployed
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Mumber
Peroent
Number
Percent
Total ehi fts
630
100.0
346
100,0
14ti
100.0
138
100.0
Employer
240
38,l
145
41.9
28
19,2
67
48.6
Occupational
40
6.4
19
5.5
12
8.2
9
6.5
Employer and .occupational
26
4.1
12
3,5
B
5.5
6
4.3
Employer and industrial
51
B,l
34
9,8
5
3.4
12
8,7
Employer, occupational,
and industrial
273
43.3
136
39,3
93
63.7
44
31.9
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Google
APPENDIX A
89
Tnble 41.- IH,'IIBER OF JOE SEPARATIONS, 1926-35, BY THE USUkL OCCUPATION, AGE,
AND E>IPLOYllENT STATUS IN IIAY 1936
By the Usual Occupation
NlLilber of
Weavers
Total
persons
Total
Loon fixers
('1en)
Women
Men
separations
Total peraons 6
None
l
2
3
Num-
Per-
Nuc-
Per-
cent
her
Percent
Num-
ber
her
cent
Numher
Peroent
100.0
327
100.0
203
100.0
44
100.0
29
100.0
10.4
28.9
22 .A
14.l
11.2
12.6
32
97
68
46
39
45
9.8
29.6
20.8
14.l
11.9
13,8
29
02
56
43
32
41
10.2
29.0
10.0
15.2
11.3
14.5
3
15
12
3
7
4
6.8
34.l
27 .3
6.8
15.9
9 .l
5
6
13
4
l
0
17 .2
20.1
4.;.8
13.B
3.5
Numher
Percent
3b6
37
103
Bl
50
4
5 and over
40
45
Median number 0f
sepe.rations
Total
Those reportinr;
1 or more
separations
2.5
2.5
2 .7
2.8
-
2.6
2.4
2.3
2,8
2,5
2.s
By Age
Number of
sepo.ro.tions
Ar,• in years
'!'otal
persom>
16-29
30-44
llumber
Per-
Num-
oent
ber
Percent
Total persons 6
356
100,0
42
100,0
None
1
2
3
4
5 and over
37
103
81
50
40
45
10.1
28,9
22,8
0
7
6
9
8
12
14,l
11.2
12,6
-
16,7
11,3
21.1
10.0
20.u
60 and over
15-59
Fercent
lhm1-
Per-
her
cent
142
100.0
108
100.0
64
100.0
11
38
33
22
19
19
7.7
26,8
23,2
15.5
13.1
13.1
16
34
28
12
7
11
11,A
10
24
11
7
6
15 .G
37 .s
21.9
10.9
9,,1
Number
Percent
Number
31.5
25.9
11.1
6.5
10.2
".7
3
MediR.Il number of
eepnrations
'i'otal
Those reportin::;
1 or more
separations
2,5
3.9
2.7
2.2
1.9
2.7
3,9
2.0
2.1
2.3
By Employment Status in May 1936
l:hployed Number of
separations
Total
persons
At other
oooupo.tiona
At the usual
oooupe.tion
Unemployool
Numbor
Porcent
Numbor
Percent
Number
Percont
Numbcr
Percent
Total personse.
350
100.0
205
100.0
49
100.0
102
100.0
Nono
l
2
3
11
5 and over
37
103
81
50
40
15
10.1
28.D
22 .o
H,l
ll.2
12.6
34
SD
44
25
16,G
28.0
21.4
12 .2
l
10
12
13
5
8
2.0
20.4
24.5
2G.o
10.2
16.3
2
31
25
12
17
12
Median number of
soparations
Totnl
Those roportin&
l or more
sepo.ro. tions
10
o.a
25
12.2
2.0
33 .,3
21.5
11.C
lG .6
11.a
2.5
2.2
3.2
2.G
2,7
2.G
3.2
2.1
"Eitoludee l man who did not report numbor of job separa.tions.
Digitized by
Google
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
90
Table 42.- TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE AFTER EACH JOB SEPARATIOI
1926-35, BY AGE AND EMPLOYKENT STATUS IN MAY 1936
By Age
Age in years
Total
30-44
16-29
Type of
experience
Number
Per- Numcent ber
Separations to
employment
398
42,8
98
60,1 187
45.9
76
32.1
37
30.3
472
167
216
50.8
18.0
23,2
50
19
29
30,7 199
11,7 69
17,8 102
48.9 148
16,9 57
25.l 57
62,4
24.0
24,l
75
22
28
61.5
18.0
23.0
89
9,6
2
1.2
28
6.9
34
14.3
25
20.5
69
37
16
6.4
4.0
1.7
16
9
6
9.2
6,5
3,7
21
16
2
6.2
4,0
o.s
13
6
6
5.5
2.5
2,1
10
6
3
8,2
4.9
2.5
6
0.7
0
3
0.1
2
o.e
l
0,8
-
100.0 237
100.0 122
Percent
929
Separations to time
not seeking work
Return to sBl!le job
Return to new job
~:o job by
Dec.,mber 1935
100.0 407
Per- Numcent ber
Total separations
Separations to
unemployment
Return to same job
Return to new job
No job by
December 1935
100.0 163
Per- Mumcent ber
Per- Numcent ber
60 and over
45-69
100.0
By Employment Status in May 1936
Employed Total
Type of
experience
At the usual
occupation
At other
occupations
Unemployed
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Total separations
929
100.0
498
100.0
163
100.0
268
100.0
Separations to
employment
398
42.8
219
44,0
99
60.7
80
29,9
472
167
216
60,8
18,0
23.2
246
108
121
49.4
21.7
24,3
63
11
41
32,5
6.7
25,2
173
48
54
64.5
17.9
20.1
89
9,6
17
3.4
1
0.6
71
26,5
59
37
16
6,4
4.0
1,7
33
6.6
5,0
1.2
11
25
6
5
6
6.8
3,1
3.7
15
7
4
5,6
2,6
1.5
6
0.7
2
0,4
0
-
4
1.5
Separations to
unemployment
Return to same job
Return to new job
No job by
December 1935
Separations to time not
seeking work
Return to same job
Return to new job
No job by
December 1935
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APPENDIX A
91
Table 4.So- TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE AFTER EACH JOB SEPARATION
1926-SO AND 1931-SS, BY THE USUAL OCCUPATION
Weaver•
Total
Type ot
experience
Total
Loom fixers
(Men)
Women
Men
1926 1931 1926 1931 1926 1931 1926 1931
to
to
to
to to to to to
19SO 1935 19SO 19S6 1930 19S6 1930 1935
1926 1931
to
to
1930 1935
"44
4,86
4.21
4,60
381
399
40
61
23
25
to employment
248
160
235
138
221
122
14
16
13
12
Separation• to
unemplo~t
Return to aame job
Return to new job
No job by December l9S6
169
52
106
12
303 162 293 146
116
51 113
49
111 100 107
86
7S
77
11
10
252
94
93
65
17
2
14
1
41
19
14
8
7
1
5
1
10
2
Separation• to time not
work
Return to aUIII job
Return to n- job
No job by December l9S5
27
16
11
1
26
18
6
2
9
5
3
1
4
2
0
2
3
1
2
0
Total aeparationa
Separation■
•••king
32
24
22
6
5
14,
9
29
20
6
1
4
15
9
6
0
4
4
3
2
0
1
Table 44.- NUMBER OF EMPLOYER SHIFTS, 1926-36, BY THE USUAL OCCUPATION
Total
person•
Number of
shift•
Percent
Num-
ber
Percent
ber
Percent
356 100.0
327
100.0
283
100.0
44
100.0
31.7
24,.7
20.0
11.6
6.2
6.9
101
83
30.9
26.4
19.0
11.9
89
31.4
2s.s
18.7
13.1
6.4
7.1
12
17
9
2
3
1
27.3
3806
20.5
4.5
6.8
2.3
llS
88
71
41
22
21
4
6 and over
Median number
of •hirts
Total
Thoae reporting 1 or
more shirts
a&xcludes 1
1IIUl
Women
Men
Percent
ber
None
1
2
3
Total
Number
!h-
Total person.,a
Weaver•
62
39
21
21
6.4
6.4
66
5S
37
18
20
Num-
Loom fixers
(Men)
Number
29 100.0
12
5
9
2
1
0
1,7
1.8
1.8
1.6
1.6
2.5
2.5
2.6
1.9
2.4
llho did not report number ot -ployer shitts.
Digitized by
Percent
Google
41,4
17.2
31.0
6.9
3.5
-
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
92
Table 45.- .NUMBER OF OCCUPATIONAL SHIFTS, 1926-55
BY THE USUAL OCCUPATION
Number of
shifts
Total
persons
None
1
2
3
4
5 and over
357
100.0 328
202
68
50
19
7
56.6 189
19.0 59
14.0 44
5.3 18
2.0
7
3.1 11
11
Median number
of shifts
Total
Those reporting l
or more
shif'ts
fixers
(Men)
Loom
Total
Per- Numcent ber
Numbor
Total persons
Weavers
Men
Women
Per- Numcent ber
For- NU!?lcent ber
100.0 284
100.0
44
57.6 162
50
13.4 38
5.5 18
2.1
6
3.4 10
57.0
17.6
13.4
6.4
2.1
3.5
27
9
6
0
1
1
18.0
Per- Numcent ber
100.0
Percent
100.0 ·
29
61.4 13
20.4
9
13.6
6
1
2.3
0
2.3
0
44.8
31.0
20,7
3.5
-
--
0.9
0.9
o.9
o.8
1.2
2.2
2.3
2.3
1.9
1.9
Table 46.- NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL SHIFTS, 1926-35
BY THE USUAL OCCUPATION
Number of
shifts
Total
persons
None
1
2
3
4
5 and over
Median nUlllber
of shifts
Total
Those reporting 1
or more
shifts
Total
Men
Per- Mumcent ber
Per- Numcent ber
Number
Total persons
Weavers
Women
Per- NUlllcent ber
Loam fixers
(Men)
Per- Numcent ber
Percent
357
100.0 328
100.0 284
100.0
44
100.0
29
100.0
207
65
54
13
9
9
58.0 190
18.2 59
15.1 48
3.7 13
2.5
9
2.5
9
57.9 167
18.0 47
14.7 42
4.0 12
2.7
8
()
2.7
58.8
16.6
14.8
4.2
Z.8
2.8
23
12
6
1
1
1
52.3
27.2
13.6
l7
6
58.6
20.7
6
20.7
2.3
0
0
0
2.3
2.3
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.9
2.2
2.2
2.3
1.9
2.1
Digitized by
Google
-
-
APPENDIX B
SCHEDULE AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED
Digitized by
Google
Nll:P fOU ftt
....
I,
l
ttllTOfl"Y 5C~DUL(
I
ENUIIUATOR
!
l
A00R£SS
m
m
PLACE
UCE
llARI•
ts BIP.TR
1
1
UL
- - - ~ - -----, SU-
•TEUS lh CITT
I YEARS IN U. S. A.
11.
TOlAL 111£
IL.IIE~P_LQ_'I'.!!___ _
1---
1
_
TOTAL
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AVERACE LENGT1-1 or
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SERVICE PER EIIPLOTEA
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■ IH■ N IINJIIT
Note.- lhe reverse of the schedule provides for continuing the l926-3o work history •
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DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED
Aee: The person's age on his last birthday prior to the date
of the interview was recorded.
The country of birth was recorded for foreignborn persons; the State of birth, for native-born persons; and
Philadelphia, for persons born in this city. The country of
birth was recorded according to the national boundary lines at
the time of the person's birth.
Place of Birth:
Years in City: 1 The number of years in the city was defined as
the length in years of the most recent period of continuous residence in Philadelphia, disregarding absences of less than 1 year.
Years in the United States: The number of years in the United
States was defined as the number of years of residence in the
United States since the date of last entry into the country.
(This item was recorded for foreign-born persons only.)
School Grade Completed: The number of grades completed, which
led directly to a grammar-school certificate or a high-school
or college diploma, were counted as the school grade completed.
Returns for foreign-born workers were converted to the t€rms
in use in the present system in Philadelphia.
Aee Leavinf School: The age on leaving school was defined as
the person's age on his last birthday prior to the date of his first
leaving school for a consecutive period of more than 1 year.
Aee Befan Work: The age of beginning work was defined as the
person's age on his last birthday prior to the date of his beginning
his first full-time jgb 2 after leaving school.
Date of Enterinf the Labor Jfarket: No specific quest ion regarding the date of entering the labor market was asked, but
when there was sufficient information on the schedule, calculations were made to determine this date. However, when there was
a difference in the person's age between the time he had left school
and the time he began work and when there was no record of the
intervening period, the year in which he had left school was considered to be the date he entered the labor market.
Usual Occupation: The usual occupation was defined as the occupation which the person considered his usual or customary oc1 rn this study tabulations were made ror •Year or Beginning Residence ln
Philadelphia• which was determined rrom the •Years in City.•
2 see below ror the derln!t!on or rtrst Job.
95
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96
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
cupation. In cases of doubt, the occupation at which the person
had worked longest was considered his usual occupation. Of
two work experiences of equal length, the more recent was considered the usual.
Usual Industry: The usual industry was defined as the industry in which the person was normally employed. If he had been
employed at his usual occupation in two or more industries, the
industry at which he had worked longest was considered the usual
one.
The number of years employed
the usual occupation was defined as the individual's estimate
the number of years he actually worked at what he considered
be his usual occupation. Years spent as a paid apprentice
helper were included, but years spent as an unpaid apprentice
as a foreman were not included.
Years at the Usual Occupation:
at
of
to
or
or
Present Employment Status: As of May 1, 1936 the individual
was classified as "employed" or "unemployed."
(a) Employed persons were defined as those who had a job 3 on
May 1, 1936. Employment was considered full-time or part-time,
according to the practice of the industry in May 1936.
(b) Unemployed persons were defined as those who did not have
a job on May 1, 1936 but who were able and willing to work. Persons employed on Government emergency work and persons temporarily
out of the labor market were included in this group.
Emergency work was used as an all-inclusive term to cover employment on work relief, Public Works projects, or Works Program
projects whether financed by_ the city, the State, the Federal
Emergency Relief Administration, the National Recovery Act of
1933, or the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935.
Persons who had been sick for less than a year but who were
not permanently disabled were classified as temporarily out of
the labor market. 4
job: A job was defined as continuous paid service at one
occupational assignment for one employer for 1 or more months.
(Employment on emergency work did not constitute a job, since
emergency work employment was classified as unemployment.)
3see below ror the derinition or a Job.
4women who were occupied with household duties and were not seeking work on
l1ay 1, 1936 but who had reentered the labor market and were seeking work at
the tlme or the interview were classtried as temporarily out or the labor
market and thererore have been included ln the study.
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APPENDIX B
97
When persons were working on their own account for 1 or more
months, they were considered to have jobs. Persons who had casual work, such as longshoremen, truck drivers, and day workers,
were considered to have jobs if they worked at the occupation
for 1 or more months even though the work was for more than one
employer. When persons were on sick leave with pay or vacation
with pay, they were considered to have jobs.
(a) First Job: The first job was defined as the first fulltime paid job after leaving school permanently. Summer jobs between school sessions and any jobs held while the individual was
out of school for a period of only 1 year or less were not counted
as the first job.
(b) Lonfest job: The longest job was defined as the longest
job beginning prior to 1926 for persons who had entered the labor
market before that time. For persons who had entered the labor
market during or after 1926, it was the longest job they had ever
held. Of two jobs of equally long duration, the more recent one
was considered the longest job.
(c) Last Job: The last job was defined as the last job beginning on or prior to May 1, 1936.
Periods of l or more months of unemployment or of time not seeking work between January 1926 and
the time of interview were recorded on the schedule.
Time Elapsed Between jobs:
Unemployment periods included any time during which the individual was employed on emergency work, as well as time during
which he did not have a job but was able and willing to work.
Time not seeking work included periods during which the individual was out of the labor market because he was sick (and not
receiving pay), on strike, attending school, retired and living
on income, or for personal reasons such as household duties.
The duration of unemployment since the last job was defined as the time unemployed
(including time employed on emergency work) between the date of
leaving the last job and May 1, 1936. This of course has application only to those who were unemployed on May 1, 1936.
Duration of Unemployment Since Last job:
5
Occupation: In recording occupations, the kind of work done
on each job was stated as exactly as possible. The occupations
were coded according to an adaptation of Bulletin #3, Occupation Code, Works Progress Administration, National Research Proj5 rn th1s study durat1on or employment was computed rrom the last Job or rrom
the last period or not seek1ng work.
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98
WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
ect in cooperation with the Industrial Research Department of the
University of Pennsylvania (mimeo., April 1936).
Persons who owned an establishment and also worked in it were
classified as owners. The term "factory laborer" was used only
for persons who fetch and carry materials to and from the production workers or clean up after them. The occupations of production workers or factory hands were classified in accordance
with the process or operation on which the workers were engaged.
In recording industries, the exact type of business
or product made was specified, and general terms were avoided
as much as possible. Industries were coded according to an adaptation of Bulletin #4, Industry Code, Works Progress Administration, National Research Project in cooperation with the Industrial
Research Department of the University of Pennsylvania (mimeo.,
April 1936 l.
Industry:
In entering the reason for leaving
a job, the exact statement of the respondent was recorded as
nearly as possible.
Reason Jo,- Change in job:
Character of Employment: Employment was classified either as
full-time or part-time according to the practice of the indus-
try during the time for which the information was obtained. In
instances when employment with a firm had been both full-time
and part-time but the respondent could not recall the exact
dates of change, the character of employment was designated as
combined full-time and part-time employment. When persons were
working on their own account, the employment was classified as
"self-employment." 6
Both full- and part-time employment were further classified
as "regular", "casual", or "intermittent." Casual employment
was defined as work for one or more employers contracted for by
the hour or by the day, as in the case of "day workers" in domestic service or laborers at odd jobs or by the load handled,
as in the case of longshoremen and jobbing truck drivers. The
term "intermittent" was used to identify the employment of workers
who constitute a labor reserve in industries in which employment
is usually not of a casual nature. The work of "spare hands" and
"contingent" crews on call for a particular employer or of extra
crews hired to complete orders in the "ru~h" season was classified
6 The amount ot self-employment was very small; so !twas dlstrlbuted proportionately between tull-tlme and part-time employment In determlnlng the average number or months or spec! tied types ot employment experience, 1926-35.
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APPENDIX B
99
as intermittent. Reg11lar employment included all work, except
that of a casual or intermittent nature, arising from paid service
with one employer.
Time Employed at the Usual Occupation: The time employed at
the usual occupation from 1926 to 1935 included only the time
the person was employed at occupations which had been assigned
the same code number as that of the usual occupation.
Time Employed at Other Than the Usual Occupation: The time
employed at occupations other than the usual one included the
time the person was employed at all occupations which had been
assigned code numbers different from that of the usual occupation.
The time employed in the
usual industry from 1926 to 1935 included only the time the person was employed in industries which had been assigned the same
code number as that of the usual industry.
Time Employed in the Usual Industry:
Time Employed in Other Than the Usual Industry: The time employed in industries other than the usual one included the time
the person was employed in all industries which had been assigned
code numbers different from that of the usual industry.
Average Length of Service per job at the Usual Occupation~ In
computing the average length of service per job at the usual
occupation, only employment between January 1926 and December
1935 was included. (Thus, in the case of a job beginning in 1920
and ending in 1936, the average length was taken as 10 years.)
Only jobs assigned the same occupational code number as that of the
usual occupation were considered to be at the usual occupation.
Average Length of Unemployment Periods: In computing the average length of unemployment periods, only unemployment between
January 1926 and December 1935 was included. Employment at emergency work was considered to be unemployment.
Leaving one j_ob to gt> to another, to
become unemployed, orto experience a period of not seeking work
was counted as separation from a job. Because of the definition
of a job, a change from one occupation to another during continuous employment with one firm was counted as a job separation.
On the other hand, a change in character of employment or in industry during continuous employment at one occupational assignment for one employer was not counted as a job separation.
Separations From Jobs:
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WEAVERS AND LOOM FIXERS
100
An employer shift was defined as a change
from one firm name to another, whether or not a period without
work intervened. A change in location of the plant alone was
not considered to be an employer shift; neither was a shift by
the worker from one plant to another plant operated by the same
firm. For casual work, "odd jobs" or "various employers" was
sometimes recorded instead of an employer's name. These entries
were treated
one employer, and the number of employer shifts
determined accordingly.
Employer- Shifts:
as
An occupational shift was defined as a
change from one occupation to another, whether or not a period
without work intervened. These shifts were determined on the
basis of the occupational code numbers.
Occupational Shift:
An industrial shift was defined as a change
from one industry to another, whether or not a period without
work intervened. These shifts were determined on the basis of
the industrial code numbers.
Industrial Shift:
Occupational Group of Majority of jobs at Other Than the Usual
The occupational group of the majority of jobs at
other than the usual occupation for the period 1926 to 1935 was
the occupational classification into which the majority of the
jobs at occupations other than the usual fell. When there were an
equal number of jobs in two different occupational groups, the
group covering the greater length of time was selected as the
occupational group of majority of jobs at other than the usual
occupation.
Occupation:
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