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UNITED STATES DEPAR1MENT OF LABOR
WOMEN'S BUREAU
Bulletin No. 150
,,
WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT IN
. WESJ; , VIRGINIA.
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UNITED STATES DEPARTME T OF LABOR
FRA CES PERKINS, Secretary
WOME r 'S BUR EAU
MARY ANDERSON, Director
+
WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT IN
WEST VIRGINIA
BY
HARRIET
BYR E
B ULLETIN OF THE WoMEN's BuREAu, No.
150
UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 1937
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents. Washington, D. C. - - - - -
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CONTENTS
Letter of transmi ttaL _________ ____ ________________________________ _
Introduction ______ __ ____ _____ ____ _____ ___________________________ _
Summary of findings ______ ______ ___ ___________________________ _
FACTORIES
Hours ___________________________________________________________
_
Daily scheduled hours were 8 or less for nine in ten women ___________ _
Three in four women had a scheduled week of 40 hours or less _____ _
No women should work on more than 6 days _____________________ _
Ho·u rs
worked are affected by undertime
and overtime ____________ __
Earnings
________________________
________________________________
Pottery the manufacturing industry with highest week's earnings ___ _
The highest hourly earnings were in glass-bottle manufacturing _____ _
Men's work clothing the most poorly paid industry _______________ _
Longer hours resulted in higher earnings _________________________ _
C banges in identical plants over a period of one year ______________ ____ _
Have the longer hours in 1936 increased women's earnings? ________ _
Hourly earnings, for the most part1 remained the same or decreased ___ _
Hours worked were longer in 198u than in 1935 __________ __ ______ _
Year's earnings _________________________________________ __________ _
Should
steadily
employed factory workers have such low year's
earnings?
_____ _____________________________________________
_
Which industry pays most to the women? __________________ __ ___ _
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STORES
Are stores justified in hiring many part-time employees? _______________ _
Hours _______________________ ____________________________________ _
Scheduled hours were longest in limited-price stores _______ ________ _
Hours worked were long _______________________________________ _
Earnings ________ ________________________________________________ _
Median earnings are highest in specialty shops ___________________ _
Average hourly earnings ___________________________ ____________ _
Earnings and hours worked __________________________ ________ __ _
Chal!ges in 1936 as compared with 1935 _____________________________ _
Were earnings lower in 1936 than in 1935? _________________ ______ _
Hourly earnings showed a drop in 1936 ______ ________ __ ______ ___ __
Hours worked were longer in 1936 than in 1935 __________________ _
LAUNDRIES AND DRY CLEANERS
Hours ___________________________________________________________
_
Hours
worked
were long in laundries and even longer in dry cleaners __ __
Earnings
_____
__ _________________________________________________
Earnings were higher in dry cleaners than in laundries ______________ _
Long hours do not always bring high earnings ____________________ _
Comparison of data for 1985 and 1936 _____________________ _________ _
Week's earnings were higher in 1936 than in 1935 _________________ _
Average hourly earnings were higher in dry cleaning ______________ _
Hours worked were longer in 1936 ______________________________ _
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HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS
Establishments visited ____________________________________________ _
Hours ___________________________________________________________ _
Should employees be compelled to work long hours and on 7 days? ____ _
Hours from beginning to end of day are very long for some employees __
Employee-days of lodging workers _______________________________ _
Workers in hotel restaurants have a long day ____________________ _
Restaurants in stores and in independent establishments ___________ _
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IV
CONTENTS
Earnings__ ________ _________________ _______ _____________ __________
Do supplements to wages compensate for low earnings?____ ________
Proper standards of living are impossible on such wages____________
Tips are too uncertain to be considered part of wage_______________
Wages in store restaurants_____________________ ________ _________
Independent restaurants depend on tips to compensate employees__ _
Appendix-Schedule forms__________________________________________
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TABLES
1. Number of establishments visited and number of men and women they
employed, by industry_________________________________________
2. Scheduled daily and weekly hours in manufacturing, by industry___ ___ _
3. Hours worked by women in manufacturing in the pay-roll week recorded
in 1936, by industry______ _____________________________________
4. M edian and distribution of week's earnings of women in manufacturing,
pay-roll week r ecorded in 1936, by industry ___ __ ______ ____ ____ _____
5. Median and distribution of hourly earnings of women in manufacturing,
pay-roll week recorded in 1936, by industry_,..____________________
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LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR,
WOMEN'S B UREAU,
Washington, January 14, 1937.
MADAM: I have the honor to transmit a report on the wages and
hours of women workers in West Virginia. The survey, made at the
request of the State Commissioner of Labor, was conducted in the
summer of 1936.
very much appreciate the cooperation of employers in supplying
the figures requested. Besides current pay-roll data, changes after
the . R. A. codes were no longer in effect were made available by
75 establishments.
The survey was conducted by Ethel Erickson, industrial supervisor.
The report has been written by Harriet A. Byrne, assistant editor.
Respectfully submitted.
11ARY ANDERSON, Director.
Hon. FRANCES PERKINS,
Secretary of Labor.
r
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WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT IN WEST
VIRGINIA
INTRODUCTION
West Virginia's position among States in industrial importance.
West Virginia, one of the smaller States, ranking twenty-seventh
in population and fortieth in approximate land area among the States
of the Union, is an important mining State, second only to Pennsylvania in the production of bituminous coal. 1 However, mining is not
of interest in a study of women's work, since it is not a woman-employing industry. Two industries in which women are employed and
which are important in the State are the manufacture of glass and
glass products and the making of pottery. West Virginia ranks
second in value of products in both of these, being surpassed by
Pennsylvania in the former and by Ohio in the latter. 2 In chemical
and other allied industries, also, West Virginia has a place among the
more important States.
Status of women workers.
At the time of the 1930 census approximately one-sixth of the more
than one-half million women 15 years of age and over in West Virgill:ia were gainfully occupied, 8 _yet the State _has no labor la'! _regulatmg the work of women, with the exception of one requmng a
reasonable number of -seats in factories, mercantile establishments,
mills, or workshops.
Of these gainfully employed women, roughly 82,000 in number,
somewhat more than one-half were single or not reported as to marital condition, close to three-tenths were married, and the remainder
were widowed or divorced. 3
Somewhat more than one-third of the gainfully occupied women
who were as much as 16 years of age were homemakers as well.'
Occupational groups entered by working women.
Arranged in order of importance, the five largest groups of the 81,844
women, according to the 1930 census, were those engaged in domestio
and personal service, in professional service, in manufacturing and
mechanical industries, in clerical occupations, and in trade. Only the
first, third, and last of these groups have been included in this survey
and will be discussed here.
Data secured are representative.
The Commissioner of Labor in West Virginia requested the Women's
Bureau to make a survey of hours and wages for women employed in
the State, so that facts would be available to him and others interested.
This study was conducted in June, July, and August of 1936.
1 U. 8.
1 Ibid.
1 Ibid.
Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census, 1930. Abstract, pp. 10, 504, 845.
Biennial Census of Manufactures 1933, pp. 407, 418.
Fifteenth Census, 1930. Population, Occupations, vol. IV, p. 1744.
'Ibid., p . 1740 and U . 8. Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census, 1930. Families, United State., Sam•
mary, p. 50.
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WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT IN WEST VIRGINIA
The 199 establishments visited-factories, stores, laundries, hotels,
and restaurants- were in 26 cities and towns. 5 Seventy-nine factories,
employing about 33,750 persons (21,200 men and 12,550 women), were
included. Approximately 3,000 women employed as saleswomen or
clerks in stores and more than 700 in laundries and dry cleaners were
surveyed. In addition to these, about 800 women workers were
covered in hotels and restaurants, many of them employed in store
restaurants or lunchrooms.
Pay-roll data were secured for a week in 1936 considered as representative by the management. For most of the firms the week fell in
May, for some in March or April, and for the remainder in June, July,
or August. For purposes of comparison, data were secured also from
pay rolls a year earlier than those for 1936, as well as for a 12-month
period for some of the women in manufacturing.
The scope of the survey is made clear in the following table.
TABLE
1.-Number of establishments visited and number of men and women tht11
employed, by industry
Industry
'l'otal ____________________________________ __ _______ ___
Manufacturing _____________ __________________ _____________ _
Clothing:
Men's· work clot hing ______________________________ _
Women's wash dresses 2___________________________ _
Food products _____ • __________________________________ _
Glass products:
Bottles andand
containers
_- __________________________
---------------------------_
Tableware
novelties
Metal products _____ ----------------------------------Paper boxes and bags __ -------------------------------Pottery ___________________ _---------------------------Tobacco 3and
tobacco products _-----------------------Textiles
________________________
_ _____________________ _
Miscellaneous •- --------------- _______________________ _
Stores:
Number of
Total
establish- number of
employees
ments
I
Number ofMen
Women
l
199
39,177
22,699
16,478
79
33, 746
21,202
12, 54-4
5
4
3
827
1,033
233
128
89
182
699
944
51
4
2,833
3,093
8,522
550
li,870
1,400
8,617
846
646
1, 9111
768
1,988
2,448
6,607
377
3,819
408
4,770
386
2,126
822
111
552
81
8
1,574
741
103
16
11
9
9
5
8
li
173
2,0111
992
3,847
382
,
2::1r:i~~~~~~:~~::.-_::::::::~::::::::::::::::::::::::
27
25
Women's apparel __ -----------------------------------Laundries
and___________________
dry cleaners:
Laundries
__________________________ _
Dry cleaners _____ _______________ _____ _________________ _
10
742
234
160
104
682
13
Hotels and restaurants.------------------ - -----------------
50
1,396
592
8CK
16
130
1 Details aggregate more than the total number of plants because 12 store restaurants are included also
with stores and 9 dry cleaners with laundries.
2 Includes 1 firm making men's and women's pajama.'>.
1 Includes 1 plant in which the women's occupations are similar to those in textiles, though the industry
itself belongs to another group.
• 2 plants manufacturing shoes; 1, wooden cigar boxes; 1, matches; and 1, wood veneer.
• Berkeley Springs, Buckhannon, Bunker Hill, Cameron, Chester, Charleston, Clarksburg, Dunbar,
Fairmont, Glen Dale, GraftoI},z Huntington, McMechen, Martinsburg, Morgantown, Moundsville, Newell,
New Martinsville, Paden uity, P arkersburg, Ranson, Sabraton, Weirton, Wellsburg, Weston, ana
Wheeling.
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INTRODUCTION
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Scope of survey.
Establishments visited in 26 cities and towns ____________________ _
199
Number of women they employed _____________________________ _ 16,478
Three-fourths of the women were in manufacturing.
The three most important groups in manufacturing wereTextiles, about 3 in 10 women.
Pottery, about 1 in 6.
Metal products, about 1 in 6.
One-seventh of the women were in stores.
About two-thirds were in general mercantile stores.
One in 25 were in laundry and dry-cleaning plants.
One in 20 were in hotels and restaurants.
FACTORIES
[Pay-roll data for 10,393 women}
Hours.
Hours, though unregulated, were not long.
Scheduled daily hours were 8 or less for nine-tenths of the women.
Scheduled weekly hours were 40 or less for three-fourths.
Hours worked were 40 or less for seven-tenths.
Earnings.
Median week's earnings • were $12.70.
Range for various industries was from $9.05 to $14.90.
Average hourly earnings were 34.5 cents.
Range for various industries was from 23.6 to 39 cents.
All manufacturing
industriea
Percent
of women
with week's earnings ofUnder$5
________________________________
6
$5, under $10 ____________________________ 20
$10, under $15 ___________________________ 47
$15, under $20 ___________________________ 24
$20 and over_____________________________ 4
Percent with hourly earnings ofUnder 20 cents___________________________
20, under 25 cents________________________
25, under 30 cents ________________________
30, under 35 cents ________________________
35, under 40 cents ________________________
40 cents and over _________________________
3
6
13
30
31
18
Potterv Men'awork
(with
clothing
highest
(with lowmedian ) est median)
4
16
31
35
14
16
48
34
(7)
31
28
34
5
2
1
3
23
48
25
Week's earnings increased in 1936 over 1935.
Hourly earnings decreased in same period.
Year's earnings, taken for 6 percent of the women, had a median
Only 1 woman in 34 earned as much as $1,000.
2
(7)
of $670.
STORES
[Pay-roll data for 2,403 women)
Hours of regular employees.
Scheduled daily hours in department stores and specialty shops were less than
8 for about four-fifths of the women.
In limited-price stores the largest group had scheduled hours of 8.
Weekly hours in department stores were less than 48 for well over one-half of
the women.
In specialty shops they were less than 48 for one-half and more than 48 for
one-half.
In limited-price stores they were more than 48 for close to two-thirds.
• Half received less and half received more than the amount stated.
, Less than half of 1 percent.
122617·-37- - 2
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WOMEN 'S EMPLOYMENT IN WEST VIRGINIA
Hours worked were 48 or longerFor one-third of the department-store employees.
For more than two-fifths of the specialty-shop workers.
For four-fifths of the limited-price employees.
Median week'&
Earnings of regular employees.
earning&
In department stores ___________________________ $12. 70
In specialty shops____________ __________________ 15. 25
In limited-price stores___________________________ 11. 25
Median hourl11
earnings
(cent&)
27. 2
31. 0
23. 5
Percent of regular workers with week's earn- Department Specialt11 L imited-price
llhops
store,
ings ofstores
$5, under $10 _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ ___ _ _ _ 5
9
24
36
73
$10,
under $15----------------~----_____
- -- --_ 70
$15andover
_______________________
23
1
56
Percent with hourly earnings ofUnder 20 cents__________________ _________ 1
3
17
20, under 25 cents ________________________ 24
4
66
25, under 30 cents _______________________ _ 42
28
16
30, under 35 cents _______________________ 19
84
1
35 cents and over ____ :_ _________ ___________ 14
31
In department stores, week's earnings were higher in 1936 than 1935.
In the other stores, there was little or no difference.
Due to longer hours in 1936, hourly earnings were lower t han in 1985.
Median wuk',
earning,
Median hourlr
earning&
(cents)
$2. 75
2.20
25
21
Earnings of part-time employees.
In department stores __ ___________ -----· _________ _
In limited-price stores ___________________________ _
LAUNDRIES AND DRY CLEANEUS
[Pay-roll data for 712 women]
Hours.
More than three-fifths of the laundry women worked 48 hours or more.
About one-sixth worked at least 55 hours.
About one-tent h in dry cleaning worked 48 but less than 52 hours.
Well over one-half worked 52 and more; one-fourth worked at least 60.
Earnings.
Women in laundries __________________________ _
Women in dry cleaners _______________________ _
Median week',
earning1J
Median hourlr
earninv,
(centll)
$11. 50
14. 90
23
80
Laundriu Dru cleaner,
Percent of women with week's earnings of$5, under $1 0 _______________________________ _
24
10
$10, under $15 ______________________________ _
55
35
$15and over ________________________________ _
18
48
Laundries had only 3 percent at less than $5; just over 1 percent earned $20
and more.
Dry cleaners had 7 percent at less than $5; 18 percent earned $20 and more.
Laundriea Dr11 cleaner,
Percent of women with hourly earnings of20, .under 25 cents ___________________________ _
56
4
25, under 30 cents ___________________________ _
23
14
30, under 35 cents ___________________________ _
7
51
35 cents and over ____________________________ _
6
29
Laundries had 9 percent at less than 20 cents; only 1 percent earned 40 cent.
and more.
Dry cleaners had 2 percent at less than 20 cents; 9 percent earned 40 cents a.nd
more.
In both industries week's earnings were higher in .1936 than in 1935.
Hours worked increased in 1936.
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INTRODUCTION
HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS
[Pay-roll data for 791 women]
Hours.
Practically one-half of the hotel and restaurant workers had a 7-day week.
These were chiefly in hotels.
Hours from beginning to end of day were very long for some workers.
On most days actual hours of work were 8 or less.
Percem of emploveedavs withHours of
work oi
Hotels:
over 8
Lodging departments _______ ____ ____________________ 15
Restaurant departments ___ ____ __________ ____________ 39
I ndependent restaurants _____ ____________________________ 29
Store res ta uri1n ts_ _ __ _ ___ _ _ __ _ _ __ __ __ _ __ _ _ _ __ __ __ __ _ _ __ _ 15
Sp read of
houraof lt
and more
10
63
33
6
Earnines.
Median week's earnings wereTotal-all women ____________ ____ ___ ________________________ $8. 50
Hotels _____________________ .. ___ _____ ___ .... ___ _____ _____ · _____ _ 8. 45
Lodging departments _______ __ ____ ____ __________ ______ _____ _ 8. 95
Restaurant departments ______ ___ __ _________ .. __ ____ ________ _ 7. 05
Dining-room workers ________ .... __ - ·· _______ _____ ________ _ 6. 55
Kitchen workers _______ ____________ .. ___________ ··- _____ _ 8. 10
Independent restaurants _________ .. _____ .. _______________________ _ 8. 65
Dining-room workers ______________________ .. _____ ·· - ____ ·· - __ _ 8. 45
Kitchen workers ___ _____________________ .. ___ ~------ _______ _ 10. 05
Store restaurants _______ .. ____ .. ___ .. _.. .. _________________________ _ 8. 40
Dining-room workers _______ __.. _________________________ .. __ _ 7. 15
Percent of women earning$5,
$10,
Under
under
under
t5
$10
$15
64
68
64
22
19
27
Total-all women ____ _________________ _ 12
Hotels ____ __ ____ _____ .. __________________ _ 11
Lodging departments ____ __________ ___ _
6
Restaurant departments __________ ___ .. __ 19
Dining-room workers ________ .. ____ __ 23
Kitchen workers ___________ .. ______ _ 11
Independent restaurants ________ --··-- ______ _
5
Dining-room workers __________________ _
3
Kitchen workers ______ ------ ··- ________ _
4
Store restaurants ________________ -~- .. _____ _ 25
Dir.1 ing-room workers __________________ _ 30
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74
75
72
69
76
46
43
44
115
and
over
3
2
3
1
1
1
15
2
22
18
39
28
25
4
2
6
12
4
2
FACTORIES
HOURS
When women's hours of work are analyzed it is the practice to dis·cuss two types of hours-the scheduled time or normal working hours
of the establishment, and the actual time worked, taking into consideration overtime or undertime, as shown on pay-roll records.
Daily scheduled hours were 8 or less for nine in ten women.
Just over two-fifths of the 12,544 women whose scheduled daily
hours were specified had a day of less than 8 hours, slightly less than
one-half had a day of 8 hours, and practically one-tenth had a day of
more than 8. For fewer than 1 in 100 of the women the scheduled
day was as long as 10 hours.
All the women making glass bottles and containers had a scheduled
day of 6 hours. Approximately three-fourths of those in the pottery
industry (the great majority of whom made china tableware) had a
7-hour day; more than three--fifths of those in the textile industrywhich includes woolen goods, rayon and silk yarn, and hosiery- had
a. day of 7¼ or 7% .hours. Large proportions of the women in the
manufacture of glass tableware and novelties, paper boxes and bags,
metal products, and tobacco and tobacco products were scheduled to
work 8 hours.
Longer scheduled hours predominated in the two clothing industries surveyed. Not far from three-fifths of the women making
men's work clothing and practically two-thirds of those making
women's wash dresses (the latter including one firm making pajamas)
had a day of more than 8 hours. The remainder in both industries
had an 8-hour day.
Three in four women had a scheduled week of 40 hours or less.
Three-fifths of the women for whom scheduled weekly hours were
reported had a week of 40 hours. These were followed by just over
one-fifth with a scheduled week of more than 40 but less than 48 hours
and close to one-sixth with a week of less than 40 hours. The small
remainder, less than 4 percent, worked at least 48 hours or irregularly.
As noted for the group as a whole, large proportions of the women
making glass tableware and novelties, metal products, paper boxes
and bags, pottery, tobacco and tobacco products, textiles, and the
miscellaneous group were scheduled to work 40 hours. ln all these
industries but textiles this group stood out predominantly, having
from 68 to 96 percent of the women; in textiles the proportion with
these hours was about two-fifths, the remainder being equally
divided between 37}~ hours and more than 40 but less than 48.
No woman should work on more than 6 days.
More than seven-tenths of the women in manufacturing ha.cl a
5-day week, and the remainder had one of more than 5. For some of
these the week comprised 5½ days, for some 6, and for some a 7-day
week was scheduled.
6
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7
FACTORIES
No tabulation has been made of Saturday hours nor of lunch
])eriods.
The following table shows the scheduled daily and weekly hours at
time of survey of the women in manufacturing, by industry.
TABLE
2.-Scheduled ·d aily and weekly hours in manufacturing, by indusiry
l.\fanufacturing industry
Total: Number__ ________ __ _____ __
Percent distribution__ ___ ___
Clothing :
Men's work clothing ___ ______ _
Women's wash dresses __ _____ _
Food products ____ ___ __ ___ _____ ___
Glass products:
Bottles and containers. ______ _
Tableware and novelties ______
Meta~ products ____ _____ _________ _
Paper boxes and bags ____________ _
Pottery __ ______ _________ __ __ _____ _
Tobacco and tobacco products ___ _
Textiles _______ ____ ____ __-- ------ -Miscellaneous _____ ____ ___________ _
1
Number
of
women
with
scheduled
hours
reported
Percent of women
whose scheduled
daily hours were-
Percent of women whose scheduled
weekly hours were--
1 - - - - , - - - - - , - - - 1-- - . , - - - - , - - - - - : - - - - : - - -
8
More
than
8
Less
than
40
5,205
41. 5
6,135
48. 9
1, 204
9. 6
1,888
15. 1
699 ------944
51 -----__ _____-
41. 8
34. 41
80.
12, 544
100. 0
845
645
1,915
173
2, 051
992
3, 847
382
Less
than
8
100. 0 -- - ---3. 9
87. 1
15. 8
84. 2
23.1
76. 9
73. 8
26. 2
7. 4
92. 6
62.6
37. 5
I
58. 2 ------65. 96 ------19.
_______
40
More
than
40,
less
than
48
48
7,560
60. 3
2,608
20. 8
371
3. 0
117
41. 8
34.
25. 61
58. 2
65. 9
11. 8
119, 6
43. 1
------- 75. 1 -- - ---- 24. 9 ------9. 0 --- - --- 68. 4
31. 6 -- --- -------- -- - ---- 85. 2 ------- 14. 8
------- 23. 1
76. 9
3. 5
------- -- -- --- 96. 5
------7. 4
92.6
------- 29. 6
40. 7
29. 7 -- - - - - 2. 6
72. 0
28. 0 -- - - --- 69. 4
More
than
48
.9
-- - ----- - ---------- ------
------28. 0
These women were on an irregular schedule.
Hours worked are affected by undertime and overtime.
Close to three-fifths of the 9,436 women in manufacturing for whom
hours actually worked were reported worked less than 40 hours in the
week recorded, indicating, when the figures are compared with those
in table 2, considerable loss of time. Somewhat more than onetenth worked 40 hours, and the remainder, more than three-tenths,
more than 40. Women in 9 industries worked longer than 48 hours,
though for only 2 groups was this the schedule.
Large proportions of the women in some manufacturing lines
worked less than 40 hours. Only in four industries- food, women's
wash dresses, paper boxes and bags, and men's work clothing- were
these proportions less than one-half, ranging from about one-sixth in
food manufacture to well over two-fifths in men's work clothing. In
the remaining industries the proportions ranged from slightly more
than one-half in glass tableware and novelties to close to seveneighths in glass bottles and containers.
More than four-fifths of the women in food, the largest proportion
in any industry, worked over 40 hours, more than one-half exceeding
48 hours. Likewise, large proportions of the women making women's wash dresses, paper bags and boxes, men's work clothing, metal
products, pottery, and glass tableware and novelties, ranging downward from five-eighths to three-tenths, worked longer than 40 hours.
Smaller proportions, one-sixth or less, of those making textiles and
glass bottles and containers worked in excess of 40. No women in
tobacco and tobacco product plants worked so long.
The table following shows the great variation in t.he number of
hours worked as distinct from the hours scheduled.
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WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT IN WEST VIRGINIA
TABLE
3.-Hours worked by women in manufacturing in the pay-roll week recorded
in 1936, by industry
Manufacturing industry
Total: Number _______________
Percent distribution ____
Clothing:
Men's work clothing _______
Women's wash dresses _____
Food products _________________
Glass products:
Bottles and containers ••••.
Tableware and novelties___
Metal products ________________
Paper boxes and bags.... ________
Pottery _____ ______ . ____________
Tobacco
and
products.
Textiles ___
. __tobacco
_________________
Miscellaneous. ________________
Percent whose hours worked wereNumber or
women
Over
Over
with
30,
35,
45,
40,
hours Less less
less
less
less
worked than than
40
'6
48
than
re30
than
than
35
40
ported
45
48
Over
48,
54
less and
than mor
54
---- -- ---- -- -- ---- -9, 436 1,931 1, 156 2,323 1,071 1,348
100. 0 20. 5 12. 3 24. 6 11.4 14.3
262
2. 8
413
4.4
132
1.4
546
5.8
254
2. 7
3. 9
.6
8.3
12. 0
17. 6
3. 3
1. 2
3.9
22. 6
22. 4
27. 5
------.6
- --------------539
941
51
13. 9
13. 7
7.8
12. 6
8. 6
2. 0
17. 4
14. 8
7. 8
843
546
1,894
161
1,538
960
1,689
274
23. 6
28. 4
21. 4
15. 5
27. 2
16. 5
10. 9
65. 3
27. 2
9.3
11. 9
13. 7
14. 6
7. 7
9. 9
4.0
35.8
14. 7
20.4
9.3
15. 5
85. 2
42.3
4. 7
.4
.3
-----"i1:f
6.8
9. 3
4. 7
40. 6
20. 5
6. 9
17. 4
25. 7
9. 8
13. 0
12. 8
20. 7
14. 9
18. 2
-----7. 2
2. 9
-----.1
2. 4
.8
.6
3. 6
-- -- -8. 1
4. 7
.2
3. 7
4. 6
4. 3
7.3
----------9. 2 --·i:i
1.3
3.5
.6
.9
----- -----.7
.1
2. 6
23. 5
4. 0
2. 8
5. 6
4. 7
7. l
26. l
3.'
------ -----. 2 _____ ,..
4.0
.7
EARNINGS
Pottery the manufacturing industry with highest week's earnings.
The median week's earnings 8 of the 10,393 women in manufacturing for whom earnings were reported were $12.70. The lowest
median was $9.05 for the 698 women making men's work clothing (the
only median below $10) and the highest was $14.90 for the 2,054 making pottery. Other medians of $14 or higher were those for the
women making food products, metal products, and paper boxes and
bags.
The highest hourly earnings were in glass-bottle manufacturing.
Median hourly earnings for the 9,436 women for whom hours and
earnings were reported were 34.5 cents. The lowest median was
23.6 cents, for the women making men's work clothing, and the
highest was 39 cents, for those making glass bottles and containers.
In every case but two men's work clothing and women's wash
dresses, the median hour1yearnings were 30 cents or higher.
Men's work clothing the most poorly paid industry.
Among the 10,393 women in manufacturing, practically one-fourth
had earnings of less than $10, somewhat less than one-half earned $10
but less than $15, and the remainder earned $15 or more. Less than
1 percent earned as much as $25.
Week's earnings at the time of survey are shown in table 4.
1
Half received more and halt received less than the amount stated.
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9
FACTORIES
TABLE
4.- Median and distribution of week's earnings of women in manufacturing,
pay-roll week recorded in 1936, by industry
Manufacturing industry
Number
o!women Median
with
earnings earnings
repor ted
Percent or women whose earnings wereLess
than $5
$5, less
than $10
I than
$10, less
$15
$15, less
than $20
$20 and
more
--- ------------ --Total ____________ _____ ___
Olotbing:
Men's work clothing _______
Women's wash dresses _____
Food products _________________
Glass products:
Bottles and containers _____
Tableware and novelties ___
Metal products ________________
i~r::J~~~~-~~~-~-~~~--~========
Tobacco and tobacco products_
Textiles ________________________
Miscellaneous __________________
10,393
$12. 70
5.5
19.8
47.0
23.5
698
941
51
9.05
11. 80
14. 70
15. 6
7.1
48. 0
26.9
3.9
34. 4
46. 9
47.1
2.0
16. 8
21.6
843
642
1,895
173
2,054
13. 55
11.85
14. 40
14. 35
14. 90
11. 30
12. 65
10. 55
5.0
11. 7
22.6
12. 2
16. 2
15. 9
27.0
12. 9
39. 5
61.1
57. 9
40. 1
33. 5
31. 1
66. 6
59. 4
39. 8
21.4
11.1
39.1
30.6
35. 1
3. 8
23. 3
13. 4
---
1,722
9921
382
3.9
7. 5
5. 6
5. 8
4. 2
2.4
3. 4
5. 5
4. 2
--2. 8
23.5
.8
.9
3.1
13. 9
13. 7
.1
LO
1.8
Close to one-half of the women making men's work clothing earned
$5 but less than $10; and not far fro_m one-sixth earned less than $5.
Together these form a proportion (64 percent) more than twice that
in any other single industry but wash dresses, which had 34 percent
of its women so paid. In wash dresses, however, about 1 woman
in 5, in contrast to 1 in 50 in work clothing, earned $15 and more.
In 8 of the industries, as in the total, the largest proportions were paid
$10 and under $15. In metal products, paper boxes and bags, food
products, and pottery at least 40 percent-twice that much in 1 caseearned $15 and more.
Approximately one-fifth of the 9,436 women with hours and earnings reported had average hourly earnings 9 of less than 30 cents.
Practically three-tenths averaged 30 but less than 35 cents and another three-tenths 35 but less than 40. Almost one-fifth had hourly
earnings of 40 cents or more.
Practically three-fifths of the women making men's work clothing
had average hourly earnings of less tha;n 25 cents, though no other
industry had quite one-fourth of its women so faid, and in 5 cases
the proportion was trifling. Practically 3 in 8 o the women making
wash dresses averaged 25 but less than 30 cents an hour, and a similar
proportion averaged 30 cents or more.
From an examination of the table following may be learned the
hourly earnings for each industry.
t
Arrived at by dividing each woman's earnings for the week by the number of hours she worked.
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10
WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT IN WEST VIRGINIA
TABLE
5.-Median and distn'. bution of hourly earnings of women in manufactur-ing,
pay-roll week recorded in 1936, by industry
Manufacturing industry
umber
of women Median
with earn- hourly
earnings and
ings
hours re- (cents)
ported
Percent of woII'.en whose average hourly earnings
wereLess
than
20,
20
less
than
cents
cents
25
25,
30,
35,
less
than
less
than
Jess
than
30
35
40
40
cents
and
more
cents
cents
cents
--- - - - -- - - -- -- -
TotaL _____________ -- _-- ___
Clothing:
Men's work clothing ________
Women 's wash dresses. _____
Food products ___________________
Glass products:
Bottles and containers .. ____ .
Tableware and novelties _____
Metal products _______ ___ __ __ ___ _
Paper boxes and bags ____ _____ ___
Pottery __ ______ _____ . ___________
Tobacco and tobacco products ___
Textiles .. ____ ___________ -- .. -- -'Miscellaneous _______ ____ ________
9, 436
34. 5
3. 2
6.0
12. 6
29. 6
30. 5
18. 1
539
941
51
23.6
28.6
32.0
31. 2
6.0
27.8
18. 9
33.8
37. 7
23. 5
5.4
26. 6
31. 4
1. 5
6. 5
31. 4
.4
4. 8
13. 7
82. 7
17.1
7.0
27. 5
9. 3
25.3
6.0
23. 4
34. 7
- - - - - - - - - - - ---- - - - - - - - -
843
546
1,894
161
1,538
960
1,689
274
--------
39. 0 -------30.0 -------36. 9 -------34. 0 ---- ---.1
38. 0
4. 3
32. 1
32. 5 -------13. 5
33. 1
--------
--------------2. 7
10. 8
.9
.6
.5
11. 6
4. 2
5. 5
7. 6
6.8
3.1
20.0
10. 2
5.8
.2
68. 7
19. 1
52. 2
23.1
47.1
46. 4
30. 3
. lQ. 8
45.0
31. 1
47. 9
11.0
15. 8
10. 2
Longer hours resulted in higher earnings.
The median earnings of the women in manufacturing whose hours
of work were less than 40 ranged from $7.50 in men's work clothing
to $12.90 in glass bottles and containers, and of those with hours of
more than 40 from $10.60 in men's work clothing to $17 .70 in paper
boxes and bags. With very few exceptions, as hours increased in the
various industries an increase was noted in median earnings.
CHANGES IN IDENTICAL PLANTS OVER A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR
Have the longer hours in 1936 increased women's earnings?
To determine this, pay-roll data were examined for more than 9,800
women in manufacturing in the same 75 firms for a period in the last
months of the N. R. A. as well as for the period in 1936-in the early
summer of 1935 and in that of 1936, respectively. In 7 industriesfood, paper boxes and bags, glass tableware and novelties, women's
wash dresses, pottery, metal products, glass bottles and containerswith roughly three-fourths of the total number of firms and twothirds of the women, the median week's earnings increased within the
year, though the percent of increase varied considerably . The firms
making glass bottles and containers, employing roughly 800 women
at both dates, showed the lowest percentage increase in earnings,
only about 2 percent, and the food firms, employing only some 50
women, the highest, almost 75 percent.
In the manufacture of tobacco and tobacco products and textiles,
earnings had a downward tendency- the decreases in medians
amounting to about 3 percent. In men's work clothing- employing
approximately 700 women at both dates- the decrease in earnings
between early and late dates was close to 25 percent, in spite of the
fact that hours worked in this industry showed marked increases.
Hourly earnings, for the most part, remained the same or decreased.
When hourly earnings ·are scrutinized, medians are found to have
been unchanged in the two types of glass manufacture but to have
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FACTORIES
11
decreased in every other industry but food and pottery. Less than 1
percent decrease was noted in metal and t obacco manufacture, but
the decline was close to 30 percent in the work-clothing industry.
These findings indicate that increases in median week's earnings
are due not to any advance in rates but to an increase in hours of
work. These indications are borne out by the fo1lowing comments
on hours worked.
Hours worked were longer in 1936 than in 1935.
On examining the hours worked by the women in manufacturing
in 1935 and 1936 the figures show longer hours in the later year.
About 1 in 3 of the women in manufacturing in 1936, as compared
with only about 1 in 10 of those in 1935, worked more than 40 hours.
The most marked increases were in the clothing industry. In men's
work clothing well over one-half of the women in 1936 worked longer
than 40 hours, though none in 1935 had done so, and more than 3 in 5
of those making women's wash dresses worked these hours as compared
with only 1 in 200 at the early date. In food, where the increase in
median week's earnings was great though median hourly earnings
rose but slightly, the proportion of women working longer than 40
hours was four-fifths at the late date as compared with one-fifth at
the early. In metal manufacture, in the two types of glass making,
in paper products, in pottery, and in textiles, the proportions working
longer than 40 hours were all larger in 1936 than in 1935.
The m edian of the week's earnings for all women in manufacturing
who worked 40 hours in both periods decreased from $14.10 in 1935 to
$13.20 in 1936. In only five separate industries could the median
week's earnings on both dates be computed, and in four of these the
earnings were only slightly lower in the later year. The greatest
difference was 40 cents, a decrease from $13.15 to $12.75, in textiles;
the least was 20 cents, from $13.55 to $13.35, in tobacco. Glass
tableware and pottery fell between these. Though these decreases
were slight, the fact that there was a decline in earnings for the same
time worked is not a good indication.
·
A different situation was found to exist when the medians of the
women working longer than 40 hours were examined. The median
for all women in manufacturing who worked more than 40 hours in
both periods decreased from $15.75 in 1935 to $15.55 in 1936. Here
again five industries-glass bottles, glass tableware, metal products,
textiles, and pottery-had median earnings available for comparison,
and in every case but textiles the earnings were higher in 1936 than in
1935. The amounts of increase varied from 25 cents to $1.50.
In 10 of the 11 industries medians could be computed for the women
working less than 40 hours in both years, and decreases were noted in
8 of the 10. The greatest decrease was in the men's clothing industry,
where the median was only $7 .50 in 1936, or $4.10 less than that in
1935. AU the women in this industry reported in 1935 worked less
than 40 hours, as compared with only somewhat more than 2 in 5 of
those in 1936. The least decline in earnings was in the m anufacture
of glass bottles, where the median was $12.90 at the later date as compared with $13 at the earlier.
122617°-3 7 -3
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12
WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT IN WEST VIRGINIA
YEAR'S EARNINGS
Should steadily employed factory workers have such low year's
earnings? .
Though one week's earnings represent the amount a woman has to
live on for that period of time, a year's earnings are a better indication
of the standard of living that she must establish for herself. In
copying records of a year's earnings only the more steadily employed
women are included. For this reason, such earnings may be considered
as representing the entire amount on which a woman must support
herself, and in many cases dependents, for the year.
Year's earnings were available for approximately 650 women in
factories in West Virginia. Half these women earned less than $670
and half earned more. Ninety-four, or about one-seventh of the
group of women, had year's earnings of less than $500; close to threefifths, of $500 but less than $750; and the remainder, of $750 and more.
Only 19 women earned as much as $1,000. And for most of these
women these amounts represent the total year's income.
Which industry pays most to the women?
· In six separate manufacturing industries sufficient women were
reported for the computation of median year's earnings. In only
four of these were one-half the women making as much as $700. Of
98 women steadily employed in the pottery industry, where earnings
were highest, only one-half made more than $730; of 55 making glass
bottles and containers only one-half earned more than $720. The
median earnings dropped to $710 for the 74 women in textiles, and to
$700 for the 154 in metal products. Half the 89 women making glass
tableware and novelties earned less than $600, and half the 67 employed
on tobacco and tobacco products less than $535.
All but 2 of the 25 women with year's earnings recorded in men 's
work clothing and 10 of the 37 in women's wash dresses earned less
than $500. None of the 15 women in the manufacture of food products nor of the 23 in paper boxes and bags earned so little.
Weekly earnings (year's earnings divided by 52) had a median o.f
$12.95 for the 657 women employed in manufacturing. The medians
ranged from $10.35 for the women in tobacco manufacture to $15.20
for those in pottery.
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STORES
Are stores justified in hiring many part-time employees?
The problem of women's employment as saleswomen in department
stores or smaller establishments is one of special interest and importance. Over a long period of years women were employed regularly
for the hours in which the stores were open for business. In everincreasing numbers an extra force is now employed for only part of
the store's working time. These women may be employed only for
Saturday work, with its increase in business, or they may be employed
regularly for parts of other days, or in time of extended sales or busy
seasons they may -work the same weekly hours as regular workers.
There are several different opinions in regard to these so-called
part-time workers. One theory is that such employment is beneficial,
for some workers-for example, married women-can give part time
without detriment to their own plan of living and thus augment the
income on which they must live. In other cases unmarried women
who are needed in their homes for part of the time may supplement
their income by such work. Though there are no published data of a
personal nature regarding these part-time workers, one opinion is that
these workers desire full-time· employment and are eking out a meager
existence on what they earn for part time. The report of a survey of
the subject by the Women's Bureau is now being written, from which
facts regarding these part-time workers will be available.
In the stores included in the West Virginia survey there were parttime as well as regular workers. Sixty-two stores were visited; of
these 27 were department, 25 were limited-price, and 10 were shops
selling women's apparel. A total of 1,559 women, close to threefourths of whom were regular employees, were included in the department-store survey. Close to two-thirds of the 103 employees· in the
specialty shops were regular workers. In limited-price stores the
proportion was considerably smaller, more than one-half of the 741
women being part-time workers.
HOURS
Scheduled hours were longest in limited-price stores.
Scheduled daily hours (exclusive of Saturday) of women employed
in department stores were less than 8 for close to four-fifths of the
women and were 8 for somewhat less than one-fifth. In specialty
shops the hours scheduled were less than 8 for more than four-fifths of
the women and were 8 for the remainder. In limited-price stores the
largest proportion were scheduled to work 8 hours, a somewhat
smaller proportion for less than 8.
Well over one-half of the women in department stores had a scheduled week of less than 48 hours; about three-tenths had one longer
than 48. Equal proportions of the women in specialty shops had a
week of less than 48 and of more than 48 hours. Close to two-thirds
of the women in limited-price stores had a week of more than 48 hours
and close to one-fourth had one of 48 hours.
13
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14
WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT IN WEST VIRGINIA
Hours worked were long.
For more than nine-tenths of the women regularly employed the
hours reported as actually worked were in excess of 40 in each of
the three types of stores. More than two-fifths of the departmentstore women worked 44 but less than 48 hours and almost one-third
worked 48 but less than 52 hours. In limited-price stores more than
four-fifths worked 48 hours or longer, and one woman worked as long
as 52 hours. Exactly one-half of the regular employees in specialty
shops worked 44 but less than 48 hours and well over two-fifths
worked 48 but less than 52. None worked Jonger.
Roughly seven-tenths of the part-time workers in department stores
and in limited-price stores worked less than 16 hours in the week.
The percentages of regular and of part-time women working specified hours in the three types of shops are given below.
Department
1tore11
Specialt11
,hops
Limited-price
,tores
Regular employees
women) (352 women)
5. 9
5. 4
.6
50. 0
13. 6
44. 1
80. 4
(1,107 women) (68
Less than 40 hours_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
7. 3
40 hours_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
.3
More than 40, less than 48 hours______
59. 9
48 hours and more_____ ______________
32. 4
Less than 40 hours__________________
40 hours___________________________
Morethan40,lessthan48hours_______
48 hours and more__________________
Part-time employees
(389 women)
87. 1
.8
11. 3
•8
(379 women) (34 women)
92. 3
(10)
1. 3
3. 4
____
2. 9
(lO)
EARNINGS
Median earnings are highest in specialty shops.
Due to the number of part-time workers in the three classes of
stores, no analysis will be made of the earnings of both types of workers
combined.
The median week's earnings of the 1,134 women regularly employed
in department stores were $12.70, for the 68 in specialty shops $15.25,
and for the 352 in limited-price stores $11.25. Only for department
and limited-price stores could medians of the part-time workers be
computed. For the former (425 women) they were $2.75 and for the
latter (389 women) $2.20.
The saine relation was noted when the median hourly earnings were
scrutinized. The highest median was for the women regularly employed in specialty shops, the next in department stores, and the
lowest in limited-price stores, the figures being respectively 31, 27.2,
and 23.5 cents. The median hourly earnings for the part-time workers
were 25 cents in department stores and 21 cents in limited-price stores.
Seven-tenths of the women regularly employed in department stores
and close to three-fourths of the regular limited-price workers earned
$10 but less than $15. Close to one-fourth of those in department
stores earned $15 and more, though only about 1 in 70 in limited-price
stores earned that much. In the specialty shops well over two-fifths
It
Not computed; base less than 60.
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15
STORES
of those regularly employed earned $15 but less than $20, over oneeighth $20 and more.
As would be expected, almost three-fourths of the part-time workers
in department and in limited-price stores earned l ss than $5.
Average hourly earnings.
For more than two-fifths of the regular workers in depa"rtment
stores average hourly earnings-computed separately for each
worker-fell in the 25-but-less-than-30-cent group; about one-fourth
had an average of less than 25 cents. In the limited-price stores
practically two-thirds of the regularly employed women had earnings
of 20 but less than 25 cents; about one-sixth earned less than 20 cents
and about one-sixth earned more than 25. Practically one-third of
the regular employees in specialty shops had average earnings of 30
but less than 35 cents, and almost as large a proportion averaged 35
cents or more.
The percent distribution of regular workers according to week's
and hourly earnings is shown in the summary below.
Department
stores
SpeciaU11
shops
Limited-price
stores
Week's earnings
(1,134 women) (68 women) (352 women)
Less than $5____________________
2. 1
1. 7
$5, less than $10 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
4. 5
8. 8
23. 9
$10, less than $15_ _ _ _ ____ __ ___ _ _
70. 0
35. 3
73. 0
$15 and more___________________
23. 4
55. 8
1. 4
Hourly earnings (cents)
(1, 107 women) (68 women) (352 women}
Less than 20 cents ______________ _
0. 6
2. 9
17. 3
20, less than 25 cents ___________ _
24. 3
4. 4
65. 6
25, less than 30 cents ___________ _
42. 0
27. 9
16. 2
30, less than 35 cent ___________ _
18. 6
33. 8
.9
35 cents and more ______________ _
14. 4
31. 0
Earnings and hours worked.
Department stores.-Little difference was noted in the medians for
the three groups of regular workers who worked more than 40 but less
than 44 hours, 44 but le.ss than 48 hours, and 48 but less than 52.
They were respectively $12.75, $12.95, and $12.65. Practically
three-fourths of the 1,023 women whose hours worked exceeded 40
earned $10 but less th8Jl $15; somewhat more than one-sixth earned
$15 but less than $20, and most of the remainder $20 and more.
Of the part-time workers, less than one-tenth worked as much as 40
hours; almost three-fourths worked less than 16 hours. For the latter
group the median earnings were $2.35; only about 1 in 10 of these 276
women earned as much as $3, more than three-fifths earning $2 but
less than $3.
Jo doubt a large number worked only 1 day in the week.
Specialty shops.--All hut a very few of the 68 women regularly
employed in specialty shops worked over 40 hours. The hours of this
group were 44 but less than 52, and the median earnings were $15.40.
Somewhat under one-half of these workers earned $15 but less than
$20 and about one-seventh earned $20 but less than $30.
Only 1 of the 34 part-time workers in specialty shops worked as
much as 40 hours; a large part of them (23) worked less than 16 hours.
None of the 23 made as much as $5, 19 earning less than $3.
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16
WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT IN WEST VIRGI~IA
Limited-price stores.-Practically 95 percent of the 352 women
regularly employed in limited-price stores worked longer than 40 hours. _
The median earnings for this group were $11.35. More than threefourths of them earned $10 but less than $15, only 5 earning as much
as $15.
Only about one-eighth of the 389 part-time employees worked as
much as 40 hours; for a large part of them the hours were less than 16.
For the 339 women working less than 40 hours the median was $1.95.
All the women who worked less than 16 hours had earnings of less than
$4. Two-thirds of these women earned less than $2.
CHANGES IN 1936 AS COMPARED WITH 1935
Were earnings lower in 1936 than in 1935?
With one exception little or no difference was noted in the median
week's earnings of store employees in identical establishments for the
two years compared. The median earnings of approximately 400
part-time employees in limited-price stores were very nearly onefifth less in 1936 than in 1935-$2.20 in contrast to $2.70. This decrease in medians must have been due to a lowering of rates rather
than to a shortening of hours, for about one and one-half times as
many of these workers were employed 40 hours or longer at the late
as at the early date.
When distribution of actual earnings is examined, the earnings of
the regular department-store employees were found to be higher in
1936 than in 1935-23.2 percent in 1936, as compared with 18 percent
in 1935, earning $15 or more. In specialty shops the opposite was true,
close to 56 percent of the regular employees on the early pay roll, in
contrast to about 46 percent at the later date, earning $15 and more.
Less difference was noted in the wages of women regular employees
in limited-price stores, though there was a drop when 1936 data were
examined for the part-time workers. Only 4.1 percent of the regular
workers in 1936, compared with 6.8 percent of those in 1935, earned
as much as $10.
Hourly earnings showed a drop in 1936.
In every case where median hourly earnings could be compared for
1936 and 1935 a decrease was noted in the later year. This decrease
ranged from 3.8 percent for the part-time workers in department stores
to 16 percent for such workers in limited-price establishments.
Average hourly earnings of 30 cents or more were reported for practically one-half of the regular employees in department stores in 1935,
while only about three-tenths were so reported in 1936. Of the parttime workers, 7.7 percent in 1936, as compared with 15.6 percent in
1935, had average earnings of 30 cents or more. A decrease was noted
also in the proportion of regular employees in specialty shops whose
earnings were 30 cents or more, 54.3 percent in 1936 as compared with
76.5 percent in 1935.
Much more marked decreases were noted for the workers in limitedprice stores. Close to seven-tenths of the regular employees in 1935,
as compared with only a.bout one-sixth in 1936, had average hourly
earnings of as much as 25 cents. Well over one-half of the part-time
workers in 1935, as compared with only 1 in 25 of those in 1936, had
hourly earnings of 25 cents or more.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
STORES
17
Hours worked were longer in 1936 than in 1935.
For the three types of shops the percentages of all employees working longer than 40 hours are seen to have increased when 1936 figures
are compared with those of 1935. The greatest difference was for the
regular employees in specialty shops, 52.9 percent at the early date in
contrast to 94.3 percent at the late date. The regular employees in
department stores followed closely; the percentage for the earlier year
was 59.7 as compared with 92.6 at the later date. For part-time
workers in limited-price stores the proportions were 8.1 percent in
1935 and 12.1 percent in 1936.
Median earnings for the women employed longer than 40 hours,
where comparisons were possible, changed very much less. in the year
than did the proportions working these hours. For regular workers
in department stores the median earnings were slightly higher at the
later date, while for those in limited-price stores the median was
slightly lower than in 1935.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
LAUNDRIES AND DRY CLEANERS
Sixteen laundries, employing 582 women, were included in the study.
Nine of these had dry-cleaning departments also. In these 9 and the 4
separate dry-cleaning establishments 130 women were employed.
HOURS
Hours worked were long in laundries and even longer in dry cleaners.
All but 1 of the 16 laundries reported actual hours worked by women
in the selected week. More than nine-tenths of the 547 women for
whom hours worked were reported worked longer than 40 hours.
T he great m aj ority of the women, more than three-fifths, worked 48
hours or longer ; about one-sixth worked at least 55 hours. Four
women worked as long as 70 hours.
In dry-cleaning establishments practically three-fourths of the women
worked longer than 40 hours; about one-tenth worked 44 but less
than 48 hours, about one-tenth 48 but less than 52, and well over oneearly one-half of the group last mentioned
half worked 52 or longer.
worked 60 hours or more. Three women worked 67 }~ hours in the
week.
EARNINGS
Earnings were higher in dry cleaners than in laundries.
The median week's earnings of the 582 women in laundries were
$11.50 , and of the 130 in dry cleaning they were considerably higher,
$14 .90. The median hourly earnings for the two groups were respectively 23 cents and 30 cents.
Well over one-half of the women in laundries earned $10 but less
than $15; something over one-sixth earned as much as $15. More than
one-fourth received less than $10 a week, about 1 in 30 receiving less.
than $5.
Of the dry-cleaning women slightly more than one-third earned $W
but less than $15, three-tenths $15 but less than $20, and not far from
one-fifth $20 and more. Slightly more than one-sixth earned less.
than $10.
The summary following shows the percent distribution of women in
laundries and dry-cleaning plants according to week's earnings.
Lau ndries
Dr11
cleaners
(58!
w omen )
(130
w omen)
Less than $5 _ _ __ _ __ __ ___ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ __ _ _ _ __ _ 2. 9
$5, less than $ 10 ____ ___________ ___ ___ _______ __ 24. 2
$10, less than $ 15 __ ___ _______ ____ ____ _____ ___ 54. 8
$15, less than $20 ____ __ ____ _____ ___ ___ ________ 16. 7
$20 and more ________________ : ___ ______ __ ____ 1. 4
6.
10.
34.
30.
18.
9
0
6
0
4
For approximately seven-eighths of the laundry workers the averagehourly earnings-computed separately for each worker-were less
than 30 cents, and for almost all the remainder they were more than
18
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
19
LAUNDRIES AND DRY CLEANERS
3Q cents. About one-tenth of the women had average hourly earnings
of more than 15 but less than 20 cents, and for well over one-half they
were 20 but less than 25 cents. The earnings of women were much
higher in dry-cleaning establishments than in laundries. Practically
four-fifths averaged 30 cents or more, a large part of these having an
average of 30 but less than 40.
The percent distribution of women according to their average hourly
earnings is shown in the summary below.
Laundries
(547
women )
Less than 20 cents____________________________ 8. 8
20, less than 25 cents _________________________ 55. 9
25, less than 30 cents _________________________ 22. 7
30, less than 35 cents________ _________ ________ 7. 1
35, less than 40 cents__________ ______ __ _______ 4. 6
.9
40 cents and more___________ __ _______________
Dr11
cleaners
(98
women)
2.0
4. 1
14. 3
51. 0
19. 4
9. 2
Long hours do not always bring high earnings.
Up to a certain point median earnings in laundries were higher with
a.n increase in hours worked. For the 138 women who worked 44 but
less than 48 hours they were $10.45; for the next hour group, 48 but
less than 52, they were $11.80; and for the next, 52 but less than 55,
they were $13.75. The median for the group of women employed 55
but less than 60 hours was approximately 10 percent smaller than that
for the group just below, or $12.45.
None of the women with week's earnings of less than $5 worked so
long as 24 hours. However, hours worked exceeded 40 for practically
four-~fths of the 136 women with wages of $5 but less than $10 whose
hours also were reported. Moreoever, more than two-thirds of the
304 who received $10 but less than $15 worked 48 hours or longer.
Eighteen of these worked 60 hours or more, two for as long as 70 hours.
COMPARISON OF DATA FOR 1935 AND 1936
Week's earnings were higher in 1936 than in 1935.
Median week's earnings of both laundry and dry-cleaning workers
were higher in 1936 than in 1935, the former about one-tenth higher
and the latter about one-sixth.
Three-fourths of the laundry workers in 1936, as compared with
about three-fifths of those in 1935, earned $10 or more. The proportions of dry-cleaning employees who earned $10 or more were practically the same in the 2 years, about 93 percent in 1935 and 94
percent in 1936, but a much larger proportion in 1936 earned $20 or
more, 27.5 percent in contrast to only 7 percent in 1935.
Average hourly earnings were higher in dry cleaning.
For laundry workers and for dry-cleaning employees, the median
hourly earnings-respectively 23 and 30 cents-were the same in
both years. On both pay rolls the largest proportion of laundry
employees had average ho rly earnings of 20 but less than 25 cents;
about one-third of the group averaged 20 cents. In dry-cleaning
establishments the largest proportion at both dates averaged 30 but
less than 35 cents, the figure being 30 cents for a large part of the group.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
20
WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT IN WEST VIRGINIA
Hours worked were longer in 1936.
.
Larger proportions of women in 1936 than in 1935 worked longer
than 40 hours. More than one-third of the laundry employees at the
. late date as compared with about one-eighth at the early date, and
more than five-eighths of the dry-cleaning workers at the late as comp_ared with about one-fifth at the early date, worked 52 hours or more.
These increased hours in the later year explain in part the lower
hourly earnings in 1936 as compared with 1935.
Median earnings of the laundry women on the late pay roll who
. worked 52 hours or longer were $13.60, or 70 cents higher than those
at the early date. In dry cleaning the increase in the median for
women working longer than 40 hours was more than one-fifth, $18.40
as compared with $15.05. The median for the women on the late pay
roll who worked as long as 52 hours was $19.50. T oo few women
were reported for 1935 to make possible the computation of a median.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS
Establishments visited.
Fifteen hot els, 13 of them with restaurants, 21 independent restaurants, and 14 restaurants in stores were included in the West
Virginia survey. Approximately 800 women, somewhat more than
one-tenth of whom were Negroes, were employed in these establishments. In the lodging departments of the 15 hotels 229 women, 60 of
whom were Negroes, were surveyed. The 562 restaurant workers included both kitchen and dining-room workers. Of these women, 416,
or about three-fourths, worked in the dining rooms and the remainder
in the kitchens of the restaurants. Only 28 of the restaurant
employees were egroes.
HOURS
Should employees be compelled to work long hours and on 7 days?
For 756 hotel and restaurant workers the scheduled days and hours
per week were reported. Somewhat under one-twentieth had a scheduled week of 5 days or less, and for most of these the schedule of hours
was less than 24. Approximately equal proportions of the remainder
worked on 6 and on 7 days.
It is surprising to find practically one-half of the women scheduled
to work on 7 days, since a prohibition of such conditions was included
in the N. R. A. code. As the N. R. A. had been out of existence
approximately a year at time of survey, it is probable that the firms
had returned to their former hour schedules.
Of the 355 women whose week was 6 days long, 12 worked more
than 54 hours; and of the 368 whose scheduled week was 7 days,
practically two-fifths had a schedule of over 54 hours. All women
with a schedule of more than 54 hours had a 6- or a 7-day week.
A 54-hour week was the maximum set by the N. R. A. for both women
and men hotel workers and for men in restaurants; women's work in
restaurants could not exceed 48 hours.
Seven in 8 of the 219 women employed in the lodging departments
of hotels had a week of 7 days. For almost seven-tenths of the 219,
scheduled hours were more than 48; for more than one-tenth they
were over 54.
In the hotel restaurants about 6 in 10 of the 142 women had a
schedule of 7 days and for more than two-thirds the week was longer
than 48 hours. Two-fifths of the women had a week of over 54 hours,
6 women having scheduled hours in excess of 65.
This long week was not so usual among the independent restaurants
or those in stores. However, practically one-third of the 253 women
in restaurants run independently had a scheduled week of 7 days.
For more than one-half of the women the week's hours were more
than 48; for almost three-tenths, more than 54. For a large part of
those on a 7-day week hours exceeded 54. Only 6 of the 142 workers
in store restaurants (all in drug stores) had a schedule of 7 days and
only 23 women had a schedule longer than 48 hours.
21
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
22
WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT IN WEST VIRGINIA
The summary following shows the number of women with hour
schedules reported and the number employed on each specified number of days.
5 days
All types _______________________ 756
Hotels:
Lodging departments __________
Restaurant departments ________
Store restaurants __________________
Independent restaurants __________ __
or less
6 days
7 da113
33 ·
355
368
192
86
29
4
27
56
107
165
------------219
142
142
253
6
84
Hours from beginning to end of day Jre very long for some employees.
In many cases the hours worked by women in hotels and restaurants
are irregular, some days being short and others long. To analyze such
hours, the time worked is converted to employee-days, on the order
of man-hours in industry, the number of days usually aggregating
6 or 6}~ times the number of women.
Employee-days of lodging workers.
Of the 1,464 employee-days of women in the lodging departments
of hotels, spread of hours- the time from beginning to end of the daywas 8 hours or less for close to four-fifths. On almost one-tenth of the
days, however, the spread was 12 hours or longer; on one-twentieth
it was 16 hours or more. Some plan should be evolved for the longhour occupations that would do away with over-all hours of 12 and 16.
When hours actually worked by the women are examined the picture is a more favorable one, but still long days are noted. More
than five-sixths of the employee-days that showed hours actually
worked were of 8 hours or less, but on 1 in 16 of the days the hours
of work were 10 or 11.
Workers in hotel restaurants have a long day.
In hotel restaurants the spread of hours is considerably longer than
in the lodging departments, well over three-fifths of the 938 employeedays having a spread of 12 hours or longer, about 1 in 7 a spread of
14 hours or more. Actual hours worked were shorter, but here too
long hours were noted. Close to two-fifths of the employee-days had
hours of work in excess of 8, 1 in 25 being in excess of 10.
Restaurants in stores and in independent establishments.
Of the 718 employee-days in store restaurants, three-eighths had a
spread of more than 8 hours, 1 in 16 of them a spread of 12 hours or
longer. When actual hours worked are considered, about one-seventh
of the employee-days are found to exceed 8 hours. For many women
the spread of hours in independent restaurants was longer. Of the
1,563 employee-days more than five-sixths were longer than 8 hours
and one-third were of 12 hours or longer. Actual days worked were
not so long, about seven-tenths being of 8 hours or less.
EARNINGS
The median earnings of the total group of women (791) were $8.50.
For the 703 white women they were 5 cents higher and for the 88
Negro women they were 10 cents lower.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
23
HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS
Do supplements to wages compensate for low earnings?
The median earnings for the women in the lodging departments of
hotels were $9.40 for white women and $8.30 for Negroes. Somewhat
over one-fourth of the women were given meals or lodging in addition
to their cash wage, but none received tips. In hotel dining rooins,
where all the workers were white, the median was only $6 .55 . It was
reported by the managers that all these women received some meals
in addition to their cash wage, and that three-fourths of them received
tips. The median earnings of the 54 women employed in kitchen
work were $8.10. All these received meals or lodging.
aturally,
they did not receive tips.
In store restaurants the median for the white workers in dining
rooms was $7.90. Practically four-fifths of the store-restaurant
employees were reported to have meals or lodging, though less than
one-fourth received tips.
For dining-room workers in restaurants exclusive of hotel and store
establishments, all of whom were white, the median was $8.45, as
compared with $10.05, the median for the kitchen workers. All the
employees in independent restaurants received some meals or lodging
and almost four-fifths of the women in the dining rooms were reported
to receive tips.
Median earnings for the women employed in hotels and restaurants
a,re shown in the following.
Median
earnings
Median earnings for
those receiving additions to cash WCJ(le 11
Total workers ___________________ 791
$8. 50
$8. 30
Hotels _______________________________ 378
8. 45
7. 60
8.
7.
6.
8.
95
05
55
10
8.35
7. 05
6. 55
8. 10
Independent restaurants ________________ 261
8. 65
8. 65
Dining-room workers __ _____ :.. _______ 204
Kitchen workers___________________ 57
8. 45
10. 05
10. 05
Store restaurants ______________________ 152
8. 40
8. 45
Dining-room workers __ _____________ 117
Kitchen workers___________________ 35
7. 15
6. 85
(12)
(12)
Number of
women
Lotlging departments ___ ____ ______ _ 229
Restaurant department s ___ _________ 149
Dining-room workers __ _________ 95
Kitchen workers___ ____________ 54
--------
8. 45
Proper standards of living are impossible on such wages.
Close to two-thirds of the employees of hotel lodging departments
had earnings of $5 but less than $10. Somewhat under three-fifths
of the white women fell in this group, as compared with close to ninetenths of the egroes. Seven-tenths of the lodging workers who
earned $5 but less than $10 had no meals in addition; none had lodgings furnished. Little difference in these supplements was noted
by race.
·
A much larger proportion of the white women than of Negroes
earned $10 but less than $15-1 in 3 as compared with 1 in 15. No
11 All the women in hotel and in independent restaurants, about four-fifths of those in store restaurants,
and one-fourth of those in hotel lodging departments had some supplement to their cash wage in the form of
meals or lodging .
12 Not computed; base less than 50.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
24
WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT IN WEST VIRGINIA
Negro and only 7 of the 57 white women in this group had lodging
or meals.
Only 7 women, all of whom were white, earned as much as $15.
All but 1 of these were given something in addition to their cash wage.
Week's earnings of less than $5 were reported for about 6 percent
of the women workers in the lodging departmen ts of hotels. Of the
14 women whose earnings were so meager, 8 had nothing in addition
to their wage.
No employee in the lodging department of a ho tel was reported by
the manager to have received tips.
Tips are too uncertain to be considered part of wage.
Of the 95 dining-room employees in hotels, all white, somewhat
more than one-fifth were reported to receive no tips. All the diningroom workers were given meals, as were all the kitchen workers; 6 of
the 54 kitchen employees had lodging as well.
In the kitchens 8 of the 54 employees were Negroes. Practically
three-fourths of the kitchen workers fell in the $5-but-less-than-$10
group; one-sixth earned $10 or more. No tips were received by
kitchen workers. Almost three-fourths of the.74 dining-room workers
who received meals and tips earned $5 but less than $10 ; the remainder
earned less than $5.
Wages in store restaurants.
Of the 152 employees in store restaurants, 117 were in dining-room
work. Less than one-third of these were reported to have received
any tips. The stores in which restaurants were included were chiefly
limited-price stores.
Of the 35 dining-roo·m employees who received tips, about one-half
had earnings of $5 but less than $10 and well over one-third earned less
than $5. All the workers received some meals.
Almost two-thirds of the 82 dining-room employees who received
no tips were given meals. More than two-fifths of the 82 earned $5
but less than $10, and almost one-third earned $10 or more. Of the
34 whose earnings were $5 but less than $10, 19 had meals given them,
and the same number of the 26 whose earnings were $10 or more were
given meals.
Among the 35 kitchen workers in store restaurants all but 2 were
given meals. Over one-half of the kitchen employees earned $10 or
more, and two-fifth~ earned $5 but less than $10. All but one in each
group had meals in addition.
Independent restaurants depend on tips to compensate employees.
In independent restaurants 261 women were employed-204 in
dining rooms and 57 in kitchens. Almost four-fifths of the 204 diningroom workers received tips and meals in addition to their wage~
More than three-fourths of these 160 women earned $5 but less than
$10; about one-sixth earned $10 or more.
All the 44 women in dining rooms who received no tips were given
meals. Practically two-thirds of these women ea.med $5 but less than
$10 and all but 1 of the remainder earned $10 or more.
ln the kitchens all the 57 women had meals in addition but received
no tips. Approximately one-half of the 57 earned $10 or more, and
all but 2 of the remaining women earned $5 but less than $10.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
APPENDIX
SCHEDULE FORMS
SCHEDULE
I
This schedule was used for recording the firm's scheduled hours,
the number of employees, and other information from firm interviews.
U. 8.
D:mP.A.BTMENT OJI' LABOR
WOMEN'S BUREAU
•
WEST VIRGINIA
1. Establishment_ __________
Industry____________
Address_________________
City _______________
Product ___________ __ _
Home
office _______________ _
Person
interv _____ _______ ____ __ _______ __ __ _ Position _______________________ _
2. Pay roll: Date of current ___ Pay period _________ No. work days _____ _
Date of early ______
8. Number employed:
Pay period ___ __ __ __
Current pay roll
Total
White
Negro
Shift 1
No. work days--- ~--
Early pay roll
Shift 2
Shirt 3
Total
White
Necro
---11---------1-----11----- - Men __________ -------- -------- --- ------
Women _______________________ --------Tota} _______ -------- ----- --- ---------
4. Number of F25 cards ________ _
5. Scheduled hours for women employees:
Shift 1
Shift 3
Shlft 2
Begin End Lunch Total Begin End Lunch Total Begin End Lunch Total
------11-- - - --- - - - - -- --- -- - - - - --- - -
Daily___________ ___ ______________ _____ ______ _
Saturday __________ _________________________ _
Other ____________________ ------ ------- _____ _
Total weekly____ Days_________ Hrs ___ __ _
Days_________ Hrs _____ _
Days_________ Hrs ______ _
6. Changes in scheduled hours since June 1935: (Give dates, daily and weekly
changes, and reasons) ______________________________________________ _
7. Changes in rates since June 1935: ----------- --------- ------------------
8. Supplements to wages: ______________________ : ________________________ _
Agent ______ ___ _ ______ ___ ____ ____ ___ ____ __
Date ______ ---------- ____ _
25
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
26
WOMEN 'S EMPLOYMENT IN WEST VIRGINIA
SCHEDULE
II
Pay-roll information was copied onto this card, one card being
u~ed for each woman employee.
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
WOMEN'S BUREAU
•
Firm
I
Address
I Leamer
Name or Number
of Employee
I Occupation
Department
Basis of
I Piece
Payment
I:•Y
I:oar
I~
eek
I
~onth
I
Other
Hours worked
I Overtime hours I Days on which work~d I
Earnings this period
I
NOTES:
Additions
I
Deductions
I
Sch. hrs.
Days
Date
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
0
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F. 25-U. S. DEPARTMENT OF L.A.BOR-Wo:w:EN's BURJU:U
filr:;~;: }-- - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - Earnings __________________
Date
Earnings
0-,~
i:: tl""
Occupation______
Bon us ________________
Date
Earnings
Firm -------------------------------------
Total ______________ _
Date
Address _____________________________ ____ _
Earaillfs
Date
Eaminis
! _________ -------------------- 14 ________ -------------------- 27 -------- -------------------- 40 ________ -------------------
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3 ________ _-------------------- 16 ________ -------------------- 29 ________ -------------------- 42 ________ -------------------
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4 ________ _-------------------- 17 -------- -------------------- 30 ___ _____ 1 - - - -
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5 _________ -------------------- 18 ________ -------------------- 31 -------- - - - - -
43 ________ ------------------44 ______ __ -------------------
6 _________ _.___________________ 19 _______ _ -------------------- 32 ________ -------------------- 45 ________ -------------------
7--------- -------------------- 20 ________ -------------------- 33 _____ __ _ ------------------- 46 _______ _------------------8_________ _________ ___________ 21 ________ ____________________ 34_______ _ ___________________ _ 4 7 ________ ------------------9 ________ _ ------------------- - 22 _______ _ -------------------- 35 ____ ____ -------------------- 48 _____ ___------- -- -- --- -----
~
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11 _________ -------------------- 24 ________ -------------------- 37 -------- -------------------- 50 _______ _ ------------------12 _______ __-------------------- 25 ________ -------------------- 38 ________ -------------------- 51 -------- ------------------13 _________ -------------------- 26 __ __ ____ -------------------- 39 _______ _ -------------------- 52 ________ -------------------
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https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
t:I1
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10 _________ -------------------- 23-----~-- -------------------- 36 ________ -------------------- 49 _______ _-------------------
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
@FedFRASER