THE LIBRARY OF THE NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL AND LABOR RELATIONS AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY Cornell University Library The original of tiiis bool< is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924000409460 National Industrial Conference Board 15 BEACON STREET, BOSTON, MASS. BRANCH OFFICE 724 SOUTHERN BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D. C. THE National Industrial Conference Board is a co-operative body composed of representatives of national and state in- dustrial associations, and closely allied engineering societies of a national character, and is organized to provide a clearing house of information, a forum for constructive discussion, and ma- chinery for co-operative action on matters that vitally affect the industrial development of the nation. Frederick P. Fish Chairman Frederic C. Hood Treasurer Magnus W. Alexander . . . Managing Director MEMBERSHIP American Cotton Manufacturers' Association American Hardware Manufacturers' Association American Paper and Pulp Association American Society of Mechanical Engineers Electrical Manufacturers' Club Manufacturing Chemists' Association of the U. S. National Association of Cotton Manufacturers National Association of Finishers of Cotton Fabrics National Association of Manufacturers National Association of Wool Manufacturers National Automobile Chamber of Commerce National Boot and Shoe Manufacturers' Association National Council for Industrial Defense National Electric Light Association National Erectors' Association National Founders' Association National Implement and Vehicle Association National Metal Trades Association Rubber Association of America, Inc. Silk Association of America The Railway Car Manufacturers' Association United Typothet^ of America ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP Associated Industries of Massachusetts Associated Manufacturers and Merchants of New York State Illinois Manufacturers' Association WARTIME CHANGES IN WAGES September, 1914 — March, 1919 Research Report Number 20 September, 1919 Copyright 1919 PROPERTY OF L'^PARY NEW YOBK STiJE ^^^m. CORNELL iJNi\'~r -iHTY National Industrial Conference Board 15 Beacon Street Boston, Mass. CONTENTS Foreword Chapter I. II Introduction Metal Manufacturing Industries III. Cotton Manufacturing Industry IV. Wool Manufacturing Industry V. Silk Manufacturing Industry page xiii 1 6 22 34 49 VI. Boot and Shoe Manufacturing Industry 60 VII. Paper Manufacturing Industry 74 VIII. Rubber Manufacturing Industry 85 IX. Chemical Manufacturing Industry 93 X. Wages and the Cost of Living 100 XL General Summary 107 Appendix. Comparisons with Collateral Data . 124 LIST OF TABLES Metal Manufacturing Industries (Chapter II) Table 1 : Total Payroll Data O. it U ii Machinists Toolmakers Molders 3: 4: 5: 6: 7: 9: 10: 11: 12: 13: 14: 15: 16: ' 19: 20: 21: 22: 23: 24: 25: 26: 27: 28: 29: 30: 31: Core Makers ti tt Blacksmiths Pattern Makers Machine Operators Assemblers Foundry Labor Unskilled Labor 17: Total Payroll Data 18: Machinists Toolmakers Molders Core Makers Blacksmiths Pattern Makers Machine Operators li it Assemblers Foundry Labor Unskilled Labor Timework Piecework Timework Piecework Timework Piecework Timework Piecework Time\york Timework Piecework Timework Piecework Timework Piecework Timework Males Females Males Females Males PAGE 1914 to 1919 12 " " " 12 " " " 12 " " " 12 " " " 12 " " " 12 " " " 13 " " " 13 " " " 13 " " " 13 " " " 13 " " " 13 ■' " " 14 " " " 14 •• " " 14 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 1918 and 1919 Cotton Manufacturing Industry (Chapter III) Table Total Payroll Data Opening and Picking 4: Carding' 5: " Piecework 6: Spinning Timework 7: " Piecework 8: Spooling, Warping and Twisting Timework 9: Weaving Males 1914 to 1919 Females " " " Timework Males 1914 to 1919 27 27 27 27 27 27 28 28 28 LIST OF TABLES (continued) Cotton Manufacturing Industry (Chapter III) — continued Table 10: Weaving Piecework Males 1914 to " 11: Loom-fixing Timework " " " 12: Misc.Unskilled Labor Timework 1919 13: Carding ti 14: it Piecework 15: Drawing Timework 16: Spinning ti 17: a Piecework 18: Spooling, Warping and Twisting Timework 19: Spooling, Warping and Twisting Piecework 20: Weaving Timework 21: (( Piecework 22: Misc. Unskilled Labor Timework Females iC tl (C IC E F Sept., 1918 81,186 53.4 $ .498 1 S26.95 100 100 March, 1919 61,922 1 48.5 || .505 1 24.60 || 101 | 91 TABLE 18. Total Payroll Data: Females — 19 Establishments Sept., 1918 I 3,516 | 46.8 .311 I 14.51 100 I 100 March, 1919 | 2,572 | 45.9 .320 I 14.72 103 101 TABLE 19. Machinists — Timework: Males — 60 Establishments Sept., 1918 I 5,908 | 53.8 .567 I 31.10 100 I 100 March, 1919 I 5,594 | 51.9 .583 I 30.70 103 I TABLE 20. Toolmakers — Timework: Males — 28 Establishments Sept., 1918 I 2,040 55.5 .554 I 31.40 100 I 100 March. 1919 I 1,372 | 48.6 .612 29.90 110 I 95 TABLE 21. Molders — Timework: Males — 36 Establishments Sept., 19181 1,103 I 52.4 ■603 I 32.10 100 I 100 March, 19191 848 | 44.7 .615 I 27.60 II 102 86 TABLE 22. Molders — Piecework: Males ^31 Establishments Sept., 1918 1 1,239 | 50.7 .663 33.60 100 100 March, 1919 I 1,234 I 45.4 .644 29.25 97 87 TABLE 23. Core Makers — Timework: Males — 36 Establishments Sept., 1918 1 411 I 50.7 ■513 I 26.22 100 100 March, 1919 I 336 I 41.9 ■534 I 22.42 104 I 86 TABLE 24. Core Makers — Piecework: Males — 12 Establishments Sept., 19181 242 | 54.6 .684 I 37.30 100 I 100 March, 1919 1 197 | 45.8 |l .652 | 29.85 15 95 METAL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES {continued) : SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, 1918,^ TABLE 25. (National Industrial Conference Board) Blacksmiths — Timework: Males — 34 Establishments One week in: Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly Weekly earnings earnings J B 1 C D E F Sept., 1918 657 56.8 1 $ .547 $32.00 100 100 March, 1919 365 50.1 1 .582 29.70 106 93 TABLE 26. Pattern Makers — Timework: Males — 40 Establishments Sept., 19181 458 I 52.4 .606 I 32.15 100 I 100 March, 1919 1 464 | 49.3 ■640 I 31.80 I 105 I 99 TABLE 27. Machine Operators — Timework: Males - 31 Establishments Sept., 1918 1 3,783 | 51.0 March, 1919 | 2,902 .447 I 23.45 I 100 100 48.3 .458 I 22.35 I 103 I 95 TABLE 28. Machine Operators — Piecework: Males - 16 Establishments Sept., 1918 1 7,510 56.8 .584 I 33.10 I 100 I 100 March, 1919 | 2,614 43.8 .591 I 25.90 I 101 I 78 TABLE 29. Assemblers — Timework: Males — 22 Establishments Sept., 1918 1 3,252 53.3 .496 I 26.95 I 100 I 100 March, 1919 I 2,601 | 48.7 .522 I 25.58 I 105 95 TABLE 30. Foundry Labor — Timework: Males — 42 Establishments Sept., 19181 2,359 53.3 ■430 I 23.35 I 100 I 100 March, 1919 I l,i 50.3 .429 21.85 I 100 94 TABLE 31. Miscellan Bous Lab or — Timewo rk: Males— 63 Establishm'ts Sept., 1918 10,421 52.3 .429 22.85 100 1 100 March, 1919 8,492 51.7 .435 22.59 101 1 99 16 sdsannN xsoni a O ID N M N - - - - - - - - / / 1 / ', 1 "t / 1 "^^^ S V \ \ "^^^ '■^k. \ s. \ "^s ^ ^^^^ =•:•-. X- \ \ \ s \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \\ \ CO \ U \ \ \", ^" \ \\^ 0= ID \ V. V. s ^1 \ n'^ \ 3 S 5 \ \ \ \ a 5 1 \ \ \ \ — ri ^o, 0>_ICII_l g \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ ^^B *** IL ^ t ^ IL ^ Ik ^ — ~ ui-i "S^ rill e (K ID< . :< lomoiiD 1 \ \ \ \ \ CTUI lEX NUM ON TOT mek of ARNINGI ARNINGI ARNING ARNING J8TRIAI. CI w I^i < S>^> iEe^!i£ * 3 m Is SSuui a \ \ \ \ z g 5' iigg I OS xx»» 5 - \ 2 1 1 \ 1 u o J IL < ° 1- llJ 2 10 0) 2 sdaanoN xsoni 17 UnOH tiad 81N33 a M ' m 1M^ to hJ M iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiMiMii ^MANUFACTURING INDUE AVERAGE ABSOLUTE HOURLY EARNINGS OF MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS BASED ON TOTAL PAYROLL AVERAGES 5 i-e/e'- fo //lira neeA ofSep/emlier 1914 /9/6 and fin/ fvee* of ti^arc/i 19/9 HOURLY EARNINGS - MALES U) o y 1 iiiiHiiii 1 l; 13 " If 111 g 2 ^ ^^iiiiii B 2 ^ . oi 9 o n UnOH ti3d S1N33 13 M33lk d3d sHvnioa n t4 M - - iiiiiiiiiiiiniffff ^^^ ^^^" "^ iiiimnitffffMT cn bJ ] XniTtLlI ll-U-lU£fFf ■■■■■■ ^■lllil MANUFACTURING INDUSTF WERAGE ABSOLUTE WEEKLY EARNINGS OF MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS BASED ON TOTAL PAYROLL AVERAGES f refer to third ivee/c of •Septem/>er l9/4-/9td and first week of t/larc/i I9t9 WEEKLY EARNINGS -MALES CO g Ul < uj S fffH)-]! infill M IIT in 1 H 1 ) m-TFFF S 8 11 ^ i i^UUiii ■BMM ^fa ^ gga3=l=fcHiUJJj#UtiJ llJ 2 <^ ■ ■ n m o m 0) u 0) 0) 5 0) >I33M d3d StlVllOO 19 sdaanoN xaoNi o a a o N (0 14 4 // \ '\\ / ; • '^ J \ S ' \ v\ V '4 \v V. \ \ \-. en V\ \ ;n u \ ' \^ a: \ V,\ \ N v., \ r- „■■ \ a i% 1 \ '•■, \ Z »8 1 s u \ \ RING 1 BERS 5 OF MALE IIGH PAID 3 z \ , 1 ~ s '\ ^ aZ n Jgisl: u ' i i i E - \ 1 i FACT INDEX N LY EARN! PAID ANI NDRY LAI TERNMAK .DERS (»>., \ ! ^J 3 n a3i-=!i: :a<9( 1 1 \ MAN! RAGE HO IVELY LI ■s 3i>.£Z» \ ! 1 1 -J 55 ^ 1 < i^S i ! ! 1- °:» UJ 2 stiaannN xboni 20 dnOH tl3d S1N33 o o o M w 1 1 \ 1 ( 1 \ \ NG INDUSTRIES LY EARNINGS ATIVELY LOW \ ^ \ \ \ \\ \ \ \ \ - .1 1 Z 111 (3 u Z B - hR-i -I 1 j j \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ I \ \ \ \ .NUFACTURI AGE ABSOLUTE HDUR ALE WORKERS IN REL AND HIGH PAID OCC /7/j are forthini wee/c of-, and first week of Mar UNSKILLED LABOR FOUNDRY LABORER 1 li! i i \ \ \\ } METAL MA AVER OF M 1 i ; i ! n m o m (0 n ID iinOH U3d SIN33 Ill COTTON MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY Averages of earnings of workers in the cotton manu- facturing industry are based on returns from 15 identical Northern mills reporting for the entire period covered by the investigation. These mills employed 5,187 male and 4,924 female workers in the 1914 payroll period. In September, 1918, the number of men had decreased to 4,925, while tlie number of women had increased to 5,138. Betweeen September, 1918, and March, 1919, the number of male workers increased to 5,797, while the number of female workers rose to 5,943. Detailed comparisons for the cotton manufacturing industry are given in Tables 1 to 22. These are con- structed in the same manner as those for the metal manufacturing industries in Chapter I. Hourly Earnings September, 1914, to September, 1918 Tables 1 and 2, based on averages of all workers in 15 identical mills, irrespective of occupation, show that hourly earnings of men and women increased 104% and 100%, respectively, during the period. Average absolute hourly earnings of males were 18.9 cents in September, 1914, and 38.5 cents in 1918; those of females were 15.2 cents and 30.4 cents. In five occupational groups of male workers, time- workers in opening and picking (Table 3) , carders on both piece and time work (Tables 4 and 5), spinners on piece- work (Table 7), weavers on piecework (Table 10), hourly earnings increased more than 110% during the war period; in two others, spinners on timework (Table 6) and weavers on timework (Table 9), the increases were 105% and 103%. In only three instances, timeworkers in spooling, warping and twisting (Table 8), loom-fixers (Table 11), and miscellaneous unskilled (Table 12), were the increases less than 100% and these were over 90%. 22 The highest absolute average hourly earnings of any group in 1914 and 1918 were received by loom-fixers (Table 11), 26.2 cents and 51.4 cents, respectively. The lowest absolute average earnings of any group were those of workers in opening and picking (Table 3) — 15.8 cents per hour — and even with the increase of 114% the earnings of this group in 1918 were still among the lowest. In three groups employing both timeworkers and piece- workers, namely carding, spinning, and weaving (Tables 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 10), earnings of pieceworkers were higher in both periods than those of timeworkers. In the case of one of these — carding on piecework — the percentage increase between 1914 and 1918 of 134% was the highest received by any group of male workers in this industry. Increases in hourly earnings of female workers' in the different occupational groups were in most cases smaller than those of male workers in those groups. In the carding department, for example, women received in- creases of 86% and 88% for timework and piecework, respectively, against 119% and 134% for men. Increases for female workers in spooling, warping and twisting averaged 74% during the war period, while earnings of males in those groups increased 98%. Absolute average hourly earnings of women, based on total payroll averages, were about 20% lower than those of men throughout the entire period. In certain occupations employing both male and female workers the difference in actual earnings was even more marked. In the case of spinners on piece- work (Tables 7 and 17), for example, average hourly earnings of men were more than 25% higher than those of women, and in carding (Tables 5 and 14) the earnings of male pieceworkers, while only 16% higher than those of women in 1914, were more than 40% higher in 1918. In weaving (Tables 9 and 20), male and female timework- ers received nearly equal earnings per hour in 1914 and in 1918, but on piecework (Tables 10 and 21) men averaged 273^% more than women in 1914 and nearly 15% more in 1918. Hourly Earnings September, 1918, to March, 1919 Average hourly earnings of both male and female workers, as shown by total payroll figures (Tables 1 and 23 2), Increased slightly between September, 1918, and March, 1919, bringing percentages increases for the entire . period up to 106% for men and 105% for women. Data for the different occupational groups specified show decreases in as many cases as increases. Weekly Earnings September, 1914, to September, 1918 Average weekly earnings of male workers (Table 1) in this industry showed an increase of 106% as compared with 104% for hourly earnings. This relation is practi- cally the same as that in the average hours worked per week in the 1914 and 1918 period, 52.9 and 53.7, respec- tively. In the case of women (Table 2) the increase of 100% in weekly earnings during the period coincided with that in hourly earnings. The average hours in this case were 50.9 in 1914 and 50.4 in 1918. In terms of absolute earnings, those of men were con- siderably higher than the averages for women throughout the entire period. In 1914 the averages for men and women were $10.00 and $7.70 per week, respectively, while in 1918 they were $20.60 and $15.37. While, according to total payroll averages, percentage increases in weekly and hourly earnings of male workers were about the same, figures for the separate occupa- tional groups show increases in weekly averages in several instances somewhat higher than those of hourly earnings. For female workers, on the other hand, increases in most cases were slightly smaller for weekly than for hourly earnings. Weekly Earnings ' September; 1918, to March, 1919 Averages of weekly earnings of both male and female workers based on total payroll data (Tables 1 and 2) for the March, 1919, period, were 17% lower than those of September, 1918. The earnings of men decreased from $20.60 to $17.10 per week, while those of women fell from $15.37 to $12.75 per week. Comparisons of changes in weekly earnings in the different occupational groups show that in most cases percentage decreases were greater for male than for 24 female workers. In six groups, embracing 2,378 male workers in 1918, and representing nearly 50% of the total number of males reported upon in Table 1, and in four groups of female workers employing 2,305 females in 1918, about 45% of all reported upon, the decreases during the period were 20% or more. The lowest absolute earnings received by any group of males in March, 1919, were those in spinning on time- work (Table 6) , the weekly averages being $13.55, or 21% below the average for all male workers. The group was small, however, representing only slightly more than 9% of all male workers in the reporting establish- ments. The lowest absolute weekly earnings among female workers in March, 1919, were those in carding, on timework (Table 13) . This group represented 2.2% of the total number of women reported upon. The average in this case was $8.96, or 30% lower than the average for all females covered by the data received, and 40% lower than for weavers on timework (Table 20), the group having the highest absolute earnings. .Summary The data analyzed indicate that for the cotton industry as a whole hourly earnings of male workers collectively increased 104% between the September, 1914, and September, 1918, and 106% for the entire 4}^ years covered by the study. For female workers these earnings increased 100% and 105%, respectively. ' During the period September, 1914, to September, 1918, weekly earnings of both men and women increased in practically the same proportion as did hourly earnings. The increases for the 4:]/2 years covered were, however, less for weekly than for hourly earnings, owing to a substantial decrease in average hours worked in the March, 1919, period. These percentages were 71% for men and 66% for women. Charts Chart 6, constructed from index numbers of hourly and weekly earnings in Tables 1 and 2, shows the relative rates of increase in the earnings of male and female workers. The fact that the four curves lie near together indicate that hourly and weekly earnings, and also those for men and women, increased at practically the same 25 rate up to September, 1918. The sharp drop in the curves for weekly earnings between September, 1918, and March, 1919, of both male and female workers, reflects the lower average of hours worked in 1919, when the industry was going through a period of readjustment from war to peace time production. Chart 7 is a bar diagram representing comparisons of average absolute hourly earnings of men and women in the industry, based on total payroll averages in Tables 1 and 2. Chart 8 is similarly constructed from Tables 1 and 2 to show comparisons of absolute weekly earnings of male and female workers. 26 COTTON MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY: SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL MARCH, 1 91 9 GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I9I4, TABLE 1. (National Industrial Conference Board) Total Payroll Data: Males — 15 Establishments One Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers in: Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly earnings Weekly earnings A B c 1 D E F Sept., 1914 5,187 52.9 $ .189 $10.00 1 100 100 Sept., 1915 5,736 53.0 .189 10.05 1 100 101 Sept., 1916 5,650 53.5 .221 11.85 1 117 119 Sept., 1917 5,842 50.7 .280 14.22 1 148 142 Sept., 1918 4,925 53.7 .385 20.60 1 204 206 March, 1919 5,797 43.9 .389 17.10 1 206 171 TABLE 2. Total Payroll Data: Females — 15 Establishments Sept., 1914 1 4,924 50.9 .152 I 7.70 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 1 5,166 | 51.8 ■152 I 7.89 100 I 103 Sept., 19161 5,052 | 51.8 .186 I 9.65 122 I 125 Sept., 1917 1 5,202 | 51.0 .222 I 11.36 146 I 147 Sept., 19181 5,138 50.4 ■304 I 15.37 200 200 March, 1919 1 5,943 | 41.0 .31^ I 12.75 205 I 166 TABLES. Opening and Picking — Timeworkers: Males — 10 Estab. Sept., 19141 158 | 53.1 .158 8.40 1 1 100 100 Sept., 1915 1 173 I 54.9 .159 8.70 101 I 103 Sept., 19161 181 54.2 .190 10.29 II 120 122 Sept., 1917 1 196 51.2 .238 12.15 150 145 Sept., 1918 1 177 54.8 .339 I 18.60 214 I 222 March, 1919 | 164 41.7 .349 I 14.55 I 221 | 173 TABLE 4. Carding — Timeworkers : Males — 13 Establishments Sept., 1914 1 508 51.5 .172 I 8.85 100 100 Sept., 19151 530 I 53.5 .168 I 8.< 98 I 102 Sept., 1916 I 588 I 52.9 .205 10.85 118 I 122 Sept., 1917 1 627 | 51.3 .248 I 12.74 144 144 Sept., 1918 I 524 51.7 .377 I 19.50 II 219 220 March, 1919 | 418 | 43.8 .352 I 15.44 205 I 175 TABLES. Carding — Pieceworkers: Males — 8 Establishments Sept., 19141 136 I 49.0 .187 I 9.17 II 100 100 Sept., 1915 147 53.2 .177 9.40 1 95 103 Sept., 1916 180 48.8 .228 11.14 1 122 121 Sept., 1917 179 47.4 .282 13.38 151 146 Sept., 1918 115 49.1 1 .437 21.45 1 234 235 March, 1919 115 44.1 1 .380 16.75 1 203 183 TABLE 6. Spinning — Timeworkers : Males — 8 Establishments Sept., 1914 537 53.4 .166 1 8.58 100 100 Sept., 1915 553 52.6 .170 1 8.96 103 101 Sept., 1916 617 51.2 .198 10.16 120 118 Sept., 1917 607 53.2 .263 14.01 159 163 Sept., 1918 561 53.4 .339 18.10 205 211 March, 1919 528 39.5 .343 13.55 207 153 27 COTTON MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY (continued) : SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I914, MARCH, 1919 (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 7. Spinning — Pieceworkers : Mal^s — 5 Establishments One week in: Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly earnings Weekly earnings J B c D E F Sept., 1914 267 47.7 .190 9.04 100 100 Sept., 1915 304 52.7 .188 9.89 99 109 Sept., 1916 285 52.9 .239 12.64 126 140 Sept., 1917 263 46.6 .295 13.75 156 152 Sept., 1918 186 49.0 .422 20.63 222 228 March, 1919 217 40.6 .401 16.28 211 180 TABLE 8. Spooling, Warping, Twisting — Timeworkers: Males— 9 Estab. Sept., 1914 320 54.0 .176 I 9.50 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 328 I 51.0 .179 9.13 102 96 Sept., 1916 337 55.2 .204 11.29 116 119 Sept., 1917 348 51.2 .264 I 13.50 150 I 142 Sept., 1918 273 I 54.1 .349 I 18.87 198 199 March, 1919 320 I 42.4 .361 I 15.30 II 205 161 TABLE 9. Weaving — Timeworkers: Males — 7 Establishments Sept., 1914 364 I 52.0 I .186 I 9.66 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 433 I 52.8 I .191 10.09 103 I 104 Sept., 1916 417 I 54.7 I .230 I 12.54 124 I 130 Sept., 1917 369 52.3 .286 I 15.00 154 I 155 Sept., 1918 344 I 53.1' I .377 I 20.00 203 I 207 March, 1919 273 I 42.4 I .389 I 16.^ 209 I 171 TABLE 10. Weaving — Pieceworkers: Males — 13 Establishments Sept., 1914 1,010 I 51.4 .198 I 10.17 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 1,234 52.1 .189 I 9.87 95 I 84 Sept., 1916 l,0i'3 I 52.8 .240 I 12.70 121 I 125 Sept., 1917 1,068 I 50.i .279 I 14.19 141 140 Sept., 1918 815 52.1 .417 I 21.72 211 I 214 March, 1919 955 39.7 .389 I 15.47 197 I 152 TABLE 11 Loom-fixing — Timeworkers: Males — 10 Establishments Sept., 1914 251 52.7 .262 I 13.80 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 293 52.7 .262 13.80 100 I 100 Sept., 1916 288 52.9 .312 16.47 119 . I 119 Sept., 1917 286 I 53.0 .372 I 19.75 142 I 143 Sept., 1918 266 52.2 .514 I 26.80 II 196 194 March, 1919 260 43.4 .505 21.90 193 I 159 TABLE 12. Misc. Unskilled Labor — Timeworkers : Males — 12 Estab. Sept., 1914 501 I 55.8 ■1^^ I 9.82 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 484 I 55.4 .175 I 9.24 I 94 Sept., 1916 488 I 55.0 .210 I 11.57 119 I 118 Sept., 1917 476 I 53.8 .^50 I 13.46 141 137 Sept., 1918 473 I 56.9 .340 I 19.33 192 I 197 March, 1919 630 51.5 .351 I 18.08 28 198 I 184 COTTON MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY (continued): SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I9I4, MARCH, I9I9 TABLE 13. (National Industrial Conference Board) Carding — Timeworkers : Females — 8 Establishments One week in: Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Index nximbers Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly earnings 1 Weekly 1 earnings J B c D ! £ 1 F Sept., 1914 158 49.2 $ .117 $5.76 1 100 100 Sept., 1915 154 49.0 .110 • 5.37 94 93 Sept., 1916 119 52.7 .134 7.05 1 115 122 Sept., 1917 158 49.6 .156 7.74 134 134 Sept., 1918 155 44.9 .218 9.80 1 186 1 170 March, 1919 128 37.7 .237 8.96 1 203 1 156 TABLE 14. Carding — Pieceworkers: Females — 7 Establishments Sept., 1914 455 I 50.5 .161 8.13 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 479 51.4 .154 I 7.92 96 I 97 Sept., 1916 473 I 49.8 .192 I 9.54 119 I 117 Sept., 1917 476 51.6 .229 I 11.82 142 145 Sept., 1918 469 I 51.5 .303 15.61 188 I 192 March, 1919 416 39.0 .310 I 12.08 193 I 149 TABLE 15. Drawing — Timeworkers: Females - Establishments Sept., 1914 130 I 51.6 .139 I 7.18 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 151 I 48.9 .137 I i.70 93 Sept., 1916 174 I 51.1 .167 I 8.51 120 119 Sept., 1917 154 I 50.9 .196 I 9.98 141 I 139 Sept., 1918 143 I 50.1 .276 I 13.84 198 I 193 March, 1919 131 I 44.5 .269 I 11.94 193 I 166 TABLE 16. Spinning — Timeworkers : Females - 8 Establishments Sept., 1914 250 50.6 .135 I 6.82 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 276 I 51.4 ■ 127 I 6.55 95 I 96 Sept., 1916 267 I 53.3 .153 I 8.18 114 I 120 Sept., 1917 349 51.1 .188 I 9.58 139 I 141 Sept., 1918 337 48.8 .278 13.59 207 I 199 March, 1919 434 I 41.5 .289 I 11.97 214 I 176 TABLE 17. Spinning — Pieceworkers: Females - 11 Establishments Sept., 1914 1,036 I 50.6 .141 I 7.15 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 963 53.2 .144 I 7.67 102 I 107 Sept., 1916 I 51.9 .185 I 9.58 131 I 134 Sept., 1917 905 I 50.i .230 11.69 163 I 163 Sept., 1918 877 I 51.4 .306 15.71 217 I 220 March, 1919 878 I 41.0 .323 I 13.25 229 185 TABLE 18. Spooling,Warping,Twisting— Timeworkers: Females— 9 Estab. Sept., 1914 155 50.2 .134 6.72 100 100 Sept., 1915 161 I 52.1 .128 I 6.64 96 I 99 Sept., 1916 177 I 48.8 .154 I 7.49 115 I 112 Sept., 1917 180 I 54.2 .170 I 9.18 127 137 Sept., 1918 171 I 57.4 .233 I 13.36 174- I 199 March, 1919 172 I 38.6 ,268 I 10.36 29 200 I 154 COTTON MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY {conttflUed) : SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I914, MARCH, I9I9 (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 19. Spooling,Warping,Twistmg— Pieceworkers: Females— 12 Estab. One Total number workers 'Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers in: Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly earnings Weekly earnings A B C D E F Sept., 1914 573 51.6 % .150 $7.76 100 100 Sept., 1915 609 52.0 .154 7.99 103 103 Sept., 1916 599 49.6 .187 9.30 125 120 Sept., 1917 607 53.3 .213 11.35 134 146 Sept., 1918 601 50.2 .288 14.45 192 186 March, 1919 732 34.0 .302 10.25 201 132 TABLE 20. Weaving — Titneworkers : Females — 5 Establishments Sept., 1914 210 53.2 .190 10.10 100 100 Sept., 1915 223 53.7 .191 10.25 101 102 Sept., 1916 216 53.6 .224 12.00 118 119 Sept., 1917 225 54.1 .258 13.97 136 138 Sept., 1918 243 52.4 .347 18.19 183 180 March, 1919 218 44.0 .342 15.05 180 149 TABLE 21. Weaving — Piecevyorkers: Females — 14 Establishments Sept., 1914 1 I 51.1 .155 I 7.8 100 I 100 Sept., 19151 1,181 I 51.7 .175 I 9.03 113 I 115 Sept., 19161 1,104 I 53.2 .178 I 9.50 115 I 120 Sept., 1917 I 1,085 | 51.4 .255 13.11 165 166 Sept., 1918 I 1,064 | 51.5 .364 I 18.75 II 235 | 238 March, 1919 | 958 I 41.8 .352 14.70 227 I 186 TABLE 22. Misc. Unskilled Labor — Timeworkers : Females — 6 Estab. Sept., 1914 123 49.8 .130 6.49 100 100 Sept., 1915 118 50.3 .140 7.04 107 108 Sept., 1916 88 49.8 .170 8.45 130 130 Sept., 1917 145 48.5 .193 9.36 148 144 Sept., 1918 1 162 49.1 .254 12.49 195 193 March, 1919 | 265 46.6 .237 11.05 182 170 30 Sd^HNHN XaONI a a o « - o N N M o 1; r. •^ ,> * y'' 1 • 1 '. ^Jf \ \ .o*' 1 '. .• •' A"^ >' "^ ^ S H V — ^ ?=: ^i>. X ^x \ V ^ \ >■ \ oc H \ I \\ CO !S ^ \ * \\\ \ ■•.\\ INDU AVERAG 1 i \ *. \ ■ \ \ _■ k m n S \ '-.0 u d ^ 111 III < ^o) m _| 01 _i s J^ ills i- y RIN :rs PAYR \ A \ "A FACTU NOEX NUMBE :0 ON TOTAL 5^ 1 1 1 1 ff -^ $ in in 01 01 S ^ \ \ A 'third wee f week of EARNINQI EARNINGI EARNING EARNING NDUBTR1AL Ci ',! ii ■i I 3 -iS 5 " "^1 5555 : < S r ii** i- 1 S £ 1. Z 1 o »- ^ 1- & H a u stoennN xbdni 31 dnOH d3d S1N33 f< B< fCl ^ I 'WtiffltFfflMtt IHHHHi > iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii illiiiiii 1- tn uunnnijuiiin ||||i|||||im||[||| MANUFACTURING INDL ERAGE ABSOLUTE HOURLY EARNINGS OF MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS ASED ON TOTAL PAYROLL AVERAGES ^efer to Ifiird iveet( of September I9/4-/9/1 and first iree/f ofMarcti 1919 HOURLY EARNJNGS- MALES 01 o Ul « i \ U z ^■■HH HHHm i i Z J z i % I ui 1 \ < i i a 6 ^^^ ^^^H Z z — < " - BttTTn-m HtiiiinriTiTiMiiii z o 1- 1- o u 1 . m ai CD m 5 0) o n dnOH U3d S1N30 32 )I33M H3d SMVniOQ O ID O n N N - - ' ^^^^ ■■■■■ ■ >■ 1 i u i. !: 1 J 1 5 1 MANUFACTURING INDUST AVERAGE ABSOLUTE WEEKLY EARNINGS OF MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS BASED ON TOTAL PAYROLL AVERAGES J refer to t/iird week of September /9/4-/9/d and f/rst week of h/farc/> 19/9 .3 zii! 1 1 nio ii §i << uu mill III til JiUiiill iiiiiiiiig ^■MMM a 1- o u 4 ■ S ■■■■iii o n o o a m ifl o n >I33M U3d StfVI-lOO IV WOOL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY Wage data for the wool manufacturing industry were obtained from 20 identical establishments located for the most part in the North Atlantic States. These employed 9,105 men and 6,943 women in September, 1914; in September, 1918, the numbers had increased to 9,406 and 7,576 respectively. Employment figures for March, 1919, showed substantial decreases in the number employed compared with those of September, 1918, — 161^% in the case of males and 12^% in the case of females. The detailed comparisons given in Tables 1 to 21 are constructed on the same basis as those already presented for the metal and cotton manufacturing industries. Hourly Earnings September, 1914, to September, 1918 Table 1 gives averages for male workers in 20 identical mills based on total payroll figures irrespective of occupa- tion. Index numbers in column C show that average hourly earnings of all male workers reported upon in- creased 97% between September, 1914, and September, 1918. Average absolute hourly earnings were 21.5 cents and 42.4 cents, respectively, in the two periods. Comparisons of average hourly earnings of male workers in various occupational groups show in most cases greater increases than those based on the total payroll averages. Thus, in the seven groups for which data are tabulated in Tables 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, average hourly earnings increased in every case 100% or more, the largest increase of 124% occurring among spinners on timework (Table 5) . For the remaining three groups (Tables 3, 11, and 12) the increases were, respectively, 98%, 82%, and 91%. Table 2 is based on total payroll averages for female workers in 20 identical establishments. The index numbers of changes in average hourly earnings in column 34 C show the same relative increase for the period Sep- tember, 1914, to September, 1918, as for male workers — 97%. Average absolute hourly earnings in the two periods, however, were 16.7 cents and 32.9 cents respec- tively, — nearly 25% lower than similar averages for male workers. Increases in average hourly earnings of female workers in the specified occupational groups were in general smaller than those of male workers. For only four groups, carding (Table 13), spinners on both timework and piecework (Tables 14 and 15), and reelers, winders and spoolers on timework (Table 16) were the increases more than 100%, while in one group, finishers on timework (Table 20), the increase was only 56%. In the remaining groups the increases were 83% for reelers, winders and spoolers on piecework (Table 17) ; 96% for timeworkers on drawing (Table 18); 95% for weavers on piecework (Table 19) ; and 96% for finishers on piecework (Table 21). Average absolute hourly earnings in 1914 were lowest for female workers in reeling, winding and spooling on timework (Table 16), namely 12.9 cents, and highest for finishers on piecework (Table 21) — 21.5 cents. In the September, 1918, period the lowest average earn- ings for any group of women workers were those of finishers on timework (Table 20) — 27.4 cents, while for finishers on piecework (Table 21) the maximum average of 42.1 cents per hour was noted. A comparison of index numbers of changes in average hourly earnings of male and female workers in the same groups indicates generally a greater percentage increase for male workers. Thus for male spinners on timework (Table 5) the increase was 124%, while for females (Table 14) it was 117%. Again for male spinners on piecework (Table 6) the increase was 113% against 104% for females (Table 15). For male weavers on piecework (Table 9) the increase was 110%, for females on the same work (Table 19) 95%; for finishers on timework (Tables 11 and 20) 82% and 56%, respectively. The index numbers for certain occupational groups afford some evidence that the earnings of pieceworkers increased relatively more than those of dayworkers, but in view of the several instances in which the reverse was true, this cannot be said to have been a definite tendency. Thus, although male weavers on piecework 35 (Table 9) and female finishers on piecework (Table 21) showed greater increases than the corresponding groups on timework, the increases for spinners on timework, both male and female, were greater than those of pieceworkers (Tables 5 and 6, 14 and 16) . Hourly Earnings September, 1918, to March, 1919 The number of male workers in 20 establishments represented in the total payroll tabulations decreased 16% between September, 1918, and March, 1919. This reduction in the number employed was accompanied by a decrease in average hourly earnings from 42.4 cents to 40.5 cents, or 4.7%. A reduction in the number of workers and in hourly earnings was also characteristic of nearly all of the occupational groups, but was especially marked in the case of sorters (Table 3). The number in this group was reduced by 33H%, while hourly earnings decreased 6%. For the occupational groups as a whole the weighted percentage decrease in numbers was 14.26%. The number of workers in the occupations showing decreases represent 90^/^% of the total number employed in all 5f the specified groups and 62.4% of all males in the reporting establishments. Employment figures based on data for all female workers, collectively, show a decrease of 123^% in num- bers between September, 1918, and March, 1919. For six of the nine occupational groups specified in the tabula- tions the decreases were in every case greater than this figure. The weighted average for all groups was 18.73%. This average represents 66% of all women employed in the reporting establishments and 81.3% of the total number in the nine occupational groups specified. In three of the seven groups showing reductions in numbers hourly earnings decreased from 13^% to 4.7%, while in the remaining four increases ranged from 2% to 6.9%. Weekly Earnings September, 1914, to September, 1918 Average weekly earnings of all male workers in the reporting mills (Table 1) advanced during the war period from $11.52 in 1914 to $23.21 in 1918, ai^ increase of 102%. The somewhat larger increase in weekly than in hourly earnings is due to. the greater number of hours 36 worked in September, 1918, than in the corresponding period in 1914, the averages being 55 and 53.8 respec- tively. In general the divergence between changes in hourly and weekly earnings is much smaller than that observed in the metal manufacturing industries. This may be attributed to the fact that very little overtime was worked in the wool industry, as compared with the metal trades. While overtime was indicated in a number of individual establishments in 1918, the effect upon the average hours worked was insignificant, and, in general, time worked in the periods from 1914 to 1918 remained fairly uniform. A notable exception to the general uniformity of percentage increases in hourly and weekly earnings is found in the case of wool sorters (Table 3) . Here weekly earnings increased 148% against 98% for hourly earnings. In this case average hours in September, 1918, were 65 per week, a figure considerably above the average nominal hours for the period and indicating clearly the presence of overtime. For female workers, data based on total payroll figures (Table 2) show that average weekly earnings increased 89% during the war period. The absolute average weekly earnings in the 1914 and 1918 periods were, respectively, $8.70 and $16.42. The increase in this case was somewhat smaller than that occurring in average hourly earnings due to the fact that average hours worked were 52 per week in the 1914 period and only 50 in 1918. Weekly Earnings September, 1918, to March, 1919 The decrease in weekly earnings was more marked during this period for both males and females than that in hourly earnings (Tables 1 and 2). For males the decrease was 20%, while for females it was 18%. Average hours per week decreased from 55 to 46 in the case of male workers and from 50 to 41 for females. For most occupational groups the decreases in weekly earnings were -not substantially different from those noted in Tables 1 and 2. For male wool sorters (Table 3) and females in the card room (Table 13)j however, decreases of 423/2% and 35)^%, respectively, were noted. Average hours in these instances decreased from 65 to 37 39.8 and from 51.8 to .34 respectively, reflecting the unsettled conditions prevailing in the industry at the time. Summary To summarize briefly the wage changes occurring in the wool manufacturing industry during the period covered by the data submitted, it may be stated that hourly earnings for most of the groups increased 100% or more up to September, 1918. For the period Septem- ber, 1918, and March, 1919, a slight decrease occurred in most of the occupations. Changes in weekly earnings up to September, 1918, were in most cases in fair agreement with those in hourly earnings, thus indicating that average hours actually worked in the different payroll periods considered were comparatively uniform. For the period September, 1918, to March, 1919, however, there was a sharp reduction in weekly earnings due chiefly to a reduction in average hours worked. Charts Chart 9 is constructed from index numbers of hourly and weekly earnings of male and female workers pre- sented in Tables 1 and 2. Unlike the similar chart for the metal manufacturing industries, all curves lie near together up to September, 1918, indicating that earnings of men and women increased at substantially the same rate during the period, and also that average hours worked did not vary greatly from year to year. This does not necessarily mean, however, that average hours of males and females were the same. On the contrary, the average hours worked by women throughout the entire period were consistently lower than those of men. (See Table 2.) The sharp drop in the curves of weekly earnings between September, 1918, and March, 1919, is the direct result of a corresponding decline in the average hours worked during the latter period. The curves for hourly earnings indicate only a slight decrease in each case as compared with the 1918 figures. Charts 10 and 11 show comparisons, respectively, of average absolute hourly and weekly earnings of men and women for the chosen period in each year. 38 WOOL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY: SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I9I4, MARCH, I9I9 (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 1. Total Payroll Data: Males — 20 Establishments One week in: Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly earnings ■Wee:kly earnings A B c D E F Sept., 1914 9,105 53.8 % .215 $11.52 100 100 Sept., 1915 8,957 51.5 .214 11.05 100 96 Sept., 1916 9,875 54 .251 13.51 117 117 Sept., 1917 9,558 55 .308 16.97 143 147 Sept., 1918 9,406 55 1 .424 23.21 197 202 March, 1919 7,868 46 1 .405 18.61 1 188 162 TABLE 2. Total Payroll Data: Females — 20 Establishments Sept., 1914 6,943 I 52 .167 I 8.70 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 6,648 I 48.8 .162 I 97 91 Sept., 1916 7,243 I 51.i .199 I 10.30 II 119 I 118 Sept., 1917 7,279 I 50.5 .250 I 12.69 150 146 Sept., 1918 7,576 I 50 .329 I 16.42 197 I 189 March, 1919 6,635 I 41 .328 13.46 196 I 155 TABLES. Sorting — Pieceworkers: Males — 6 Establishments Sept., 1914 211 52 I 15.37 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 228 I 59 .295 I 17.40 100 I 113 Sept., 1916 250 I 58 .339 I 19.71 115 I 128 Sept., 1917 243 66 .424 28.05 143 183 Sept., 1918 252 65 .586 I 38.10 198 248 March, 1919 168 I 39.8 .552 I 21.90 187 I 143 TABLE 4. Carding — Timeworkers: Males — 17 Establishments Sept., 1914 641 54.5 .177 I 9.64 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 689 I 52.3 .180 I 9.39 102 97 Sept., 1916 658 I 56 .213 11.95 120 I 124 Sept., 1917 630 55.3 .272 15.05 154 I 156 Sept., 1918 677 55 .376 20.60 212 I 214 March, 1919 548 45.5 .384 I 17.45 217 I 181 TABLE 5. Spinning — Timeworkers: Males — 16 Establishments Sept., 1914 413 53.8 ■ 182 I 9.75 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 424 51.5 .182 I 9.38 100 Sept., 1916 459 52.2 .222 I 11.62 122 I 119 Sept., 1917 363 52.2 .293 I 15.30 161 157 Sept., 1918 372 51.5 ■407 I 20.99 224 I 215 March, 1919 296 44.5 .394 I 17.58 217 180 Table 6. Spinning — Pieceworkers: Males — 13 Establishments Sept., 1914 954 52.8 .162 8.56 100 100 Sept., 1915 925 45.5 .166 I 7.54 I! 103 I 88 Sept., 1916 53.3 .194 I 10.29 120 I 120 Sept., 1917 960 52 1 1 .243 I 12.64 150 I 148 Sept., 1918 March, 1919 1,043 811 49 37.5 .345 I 16.91 213 I 198 ■329 39 12.30 203 144 WOOL, MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY — (continued): SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I9I4, MARCH, I919 (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 7. Reeling, Winding, Soooliiig— Timeworkers: Males — 6Estab. One Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers in: Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly earnings Weekly earnings _ A B c D E F Sept., 1914 95 53.8 % .201 $10.68 1 100 100 Sept., 1915 87 54.8 .203 11.09 1 101 104 Sept., 1916 55 56.5 .237 13.35 1 118 125 Sept., 1917 - 47 53.8 .329 17.95 II 164 168 Sept., 1918 61 48.5 .418 20.35 1 208 191 March, 1919 80 48.3 - .417 20.80 1 207 195 TABLE 8. Weaving — Timeworkers: Males — 16 Establishments Sept., 1914 6i6 52.5 .252 13.24 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 548 49.8 .249 12.39 I 94 Sept., 1916 641 52 .294 I 15.26 117 115 Sept., 1917 621 50.8 .355 18.06 141 I 136 Sept., 1918 565 49 .521 I 25.50 207 I 193 March, 1919 624 43.5 .471 20.48 187 I 155 TABLE 9. Weaving — ^Pieceworkers: Males — 17 Establishments Sept., 1914 1,534 51.2. .225 I 11.55 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 1,534 I 47 .227 10.70 101 93 Sept., 1916 1,518 51.5 .271 I 13.92 120 I 121 Sept., 1917 1,552 53 .319 16.90 142 I 146 Sept., 1918 1,404 52.5 .472 24.76 210 I 214 March, 1919 1,175 I 43 .457 I 19.59 203 170 TABLE 10. Dyeing — Timeworkers: Males — 14 Establishments Sept., 1914 922 54.3 .175 I 9.49 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 985 52.8 .169 8.97 97 95 Sept., 1916 1,004 52.3 .206 11.20 118 I 118 Sept., 1917 847 65.3 .255 I 14.10 146 I 149 Sept., 1918 846 53.8 .351 I 18.93 201 I 200 March, 1919 713 47.8 .356 I 17.00 203 I 179 TABLE 11.. Finishing — Timeworkers : Males — 18 Establishments Sept., 1914 920 51.8 .215 I 11.10 100 100 Sept., 1915 43.8 .203 I 8.93 94 I 81 Sept., 1916 965 54 .231 12.50 10/ I 113 Sept., 1917 872 54.3 .281 I 15.21 131 I 137 Sept., 1918 51.5 ■391 I 20.10 182 I 181 March, 1919 757 I 43 .385 I 16.55 1/9 'I 149 TABLE 12. Misc. Unskilled Labor — Timeworkers: Males — 10 £stab. Sept., - 1914 332 57.5 .201 I 11.60 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 332 57.3 .216 12.42 108 I 107 Sept., 1916 363 53 .246 13.04 Vl2 I 112 Sept., 1917 422 55.5 .264 14.65 131 126 Sept., 1918 409 58 .384 22.20 191 I 191 March, 1919 382 52 .406 21.20 202 183 40 WOOL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY {continued) : SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I914, MARCH, I919 (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 13. Carding — Tlmeworkers: Femates — 6 Establishments One Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers in: Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly earnings Weekly earnings A B c 1 D 1 E F Sept., 1914 144 53.5 1 1 $ .137 1 $7.35 100 1 100 Sept., 1915 113 52.8 .120 6.32 88 86 Sept., 1916 181 53.8 .170 9.18 1 124 125 Sept., 1917 175 55 .223 1 11.79 1 163 160 Sept., 1918 215 51.8 1 .296 15.35 1 216 209 March, 1919 142 34 1 .291 9.91 1 212 1 135 TABLE 1' 1. Spinnin g — Timeworkers : Females — 11 Establishments Sept., 1914 1,088 52 1 .136 1 7.12 1 100 1 100 Sept., 1915 1,025 45.8 .136 6.26 1 100 1 88 Sept., 1916 971 53.3 .166 8.82 122 1 124 Sept., 1917 986 51.8 .215 11.22 1 158 1 158 Sept., 1918 1,152 49.3 1 .295 14.59 217 1 205 March, 1919 1,003 39.8 1 .281 10.79 II 207 1 152 TABLE ) 5. Spinni ng — Pieceworkers: Females — 4 Establishments Sept., 1914 324 50 .157 7.87 1 100 1 100 Sept., 1915 353 49.3 .166 8.15 1 106 1 104 Sept., 1916 292 50.5 .198 1 10.00 1 126 1 127 Sept., 1917 255 51.5 .243 12.48 II 155 1 159 Sept., 1918 300 51.3 .320 16.35 1 204 1 208 March, 1919 234 40.8 1 .315 12.85 1 201 1 163 TABLE 16. Reeling, W inding, Spooling — Timeworkers Females- -7 Estab. Sept., 1914 227 52.5 . .129 6.79 lOJ 100 Sept., 1915 269 52 .131 6.82 . 102 100 Sept., 1916 200 51.5 .155 8.00 120 118 Sept., 1917 164 46.5 1 .196 1 9.15 152 135 Sept., 1918 167 49.8 .277 1 13.78 ■ 215 203 March, 1919 213 49.8 .283 1 14.10 219 208 TABLE 17. Reeling, Winding, Spooling - Pieceworkers Females - -6 Estab. Sept., 1914 145 51.8 1 .172 1 , 8.95 100 1 100 Sept., 1915 125 48.8 .169 1 8.25 98 1 92 Sept., 1916 142 48.8 .202 9.95 117 1 111 Sept., 1917 92 50 1 .239 11.95 1 139 1 134 Sept., 1918 91 50.3 .314 1 15.72 1 183 1 176 March, 1919 109 45 .331 1 14.82 1 . 192 1 166 TABLE 1 8. Drawin g — Timeworkers : Females — 5 Establishments Sept., 1914 423 53 1 .146 7.77 100 1 100 Sept., 1915 421 49.5 .144 7.15 1 99 1 92 Sept., 1916 416 53.5 .177 9.49 1 121 1 122 Sept., 1917 350 51.5 .218 11.21 1 149 1 144 Sept., 1918 466 52.5 .286 15.00 196 1 193 March, 1919 369 36.5 .296 1 10.80 1 203 1 139 41 WOOL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY (continued) : SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I9I4, MARCH, I919 (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 19. Weaving — Pieceworkers: Females — 15 Establishments One Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers in: Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly Weekly earnings earnings A B C \ D \ E F Sept., 1914 1,816 52.3 $ .201 1 $10.47 100 100 Sept., 1915 1,554 48 .195 9.36 97 89 Sept., 1916 1,831 53.3 .242 12.87 120 123 Sept., 1917 1,967 50.8 ' .303 15.39 151 147 Sept., 1918 2,022 50.8 .392 19.88 1 195 190 March, 1919 1,485 40 .418 16.71 II 208 1 160 TABLE 2C . Finishing- — Timeworkers: Females — 14 Establishments Sept., 1914 757 49.8 .176 8.78 100 100 Sept., 1915 824 50.5 .152 7.72 86 88 Sept., 1916 1,067 51.3 .180 9.24 102 105 Sept., 1917 670 51.5 .212 10.86 121 124 Sept., 1918 731 49.5 .274 13.45 156 153 March, 1919 683 39.8 .280 11.11 | 159 127 TABLE 2 1. Finishing — Pieceworkers: Females — 7 Establishments Sept., 1914 235 49.5 .215 10.62 100 100 Sept., 1915 182 49.3 .217 10.68 101 101 Sept., 1916 191 46.8 .247 11.58 115 109 Sept., 1917 160 52.8 .315 16.56 147 156 Sept., 1918 123 49.5 .421 20.75 | 196 195 March, 1919 140 47.3 .442 20.85 | 206 196 SUPPLEMENTAL DATA In addition to the data tabulated above, figures were also received from 7 Massachusetts mills covering a somewhat different period but, in general, compiled in such a man- ner as not to permit of ready inclusion with the others. These figures represent full-time earnings and were based upon averages of payrolls for the month of June in each of the years 1914 to 1918 inclusive. The average number employed in these mills was 1,097 males and 1,813 females in June, 1914, and 1,150 and 1,651, respectively, in June, 1918. Tables 22 to 31, inclusive, contain averages of earnings and corresponding index numbers for male and female workers in these seven establishments except in the case of weavers, for whom only combined figures for males and females were obtainable. The data did not permit of the separation of earnings of timeworkers and piece- workers. 42 Figures in Tables 22 and 23 are based on total payroll averages of all occupations combined. The index numbers show increases of 123% in hourly and 114% in weekly earnings of male workers, while for female workers the increases were 122% and 115%, respectively. These increases, as well as the absolute average earnings in June, 1918, are considerably higher than those for the larger number of mills included in Tables 1 and 2 for September, 1918. Thus, taking averages for the total payroll data, the absolute hourly earnings of males in June, 1918, in the 7 mills were 49.9 cents as compared with 42.4 cents for the 20 establishments given in Table 1. Similarly, the average hourly earnings of females in the 7 mills were 35 cents, against 32.9 cents in the 20 establish- ments included in Table 2. In the case of some specific occupations, even greater divergence is at times shown between the two groups. Similar differences appear in the comparisons of weekly earnings. With respect to weekly earnings, one principal ex- planation of the differences is to be found in the fact that the figures for the 7 mills represent computed full-time earnings and therefore make no allowance for absence and labor turnover, on the one hand, or overtime on the other. A further explanation is to be found in the fact that in this group of 7 mills much of the work was on government contracts and of an unusually uniform character, which greatly facilitated efficiency of produc- tion. It should be noted that in 1914 the absolute hourly and weekly earnings in this group of 7 establishments did not differ strikingly from those for the 20 establishments given in Tables 1 and 2. To a considerable extent these influences also explain the differences in hourly earnings, but it seems probable that a major factor in this case was the uniform character of much of the work in this group of 7 establishments. Bearing in mind these considerations and the important factor that the figures for the 7 mills were computed full- time earnings, the differences are not surprising. The average cumulative total of the general percentage increases announced in these mills between June, 1914, and July, 1918, was 82^%. The lowest increase reported for any mill was 72^%, the highest 113%. It will be noted that this general increase was less than that shown by the index numbers of Tables 22 and 23 and indicates that other advances in the wages of individuals or of cer- tain groups had been made from time to time. 43 WOOL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY: SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, JUNE, I914, JUNE, I918, IN A GROUP OF SEVEN ESTABLISHMENTS Figures in columns C and D in these tables represent computed full-time earnings (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 22. Total Payroll Data*: Males — 7 Establishments ne 1: Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers i Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly earnings Weekly earnings A B C 1 D 1 E F June, 1914 1,097 55.5 1 $ .224 1 $12.40 1 100 100 June, 1915 812 52 1 .245 1 12.70 1 109 1 102 June, 1916 1,125 51.5 .302 1 15.50 1 135 1 125 June, 1917 1,05/ 52.5 .376 1 19.80 1 168 1 160 June, 1918 1,150 53 .499 1 26.50 1 223 1 214 TABLI I 23. Total Payroll Data*: Females — 7 Establishments June, 1914 1,813 55 1 .158 1 8.70 1 100 100 June, 1915 1,031 49.5 1 .165 1 8.1/ 1 104 94 June, 1916 1,997 52 ' 1 .210 1 10.86 1 133 125 June, 1917 1,639 52 1 .254 1 13.28 1 161 153 June, 1918 1,651 53.5 1 .350 1 ' 18.70 1 222 215 FABLE 24. Carding: Males — 7 Establishments June, 1914 148 58 1 .152 8.85 II 100 1 100 June, 1915 139 52 1 , .165 - 8.63 II 109 1 98 June, 1916 173 54 .196 10.62 1 129 120 June, 1917 182 56 .246 13.70 1 162 155 June, 1918 196 58 .331 1 20.4/ 1 218 1 231 T ABLE 25. Spinning : Males - — 7 Establishments June, 1914 38/ 62 .188 11.60 1 100 1 100 June, 1915 2/7 56 II .250 13.93 II 133 1 120 June, 1916 409 51 .296 15.80 1 158 136 June, 1917 313 53 1 ■ .410 21.65 1 218 187 June, 1918 412 52 1 .575 30.00 1 306 259 TABLE 26. Weaving: Males and Females Combined- -7 Establishments June, 1914 2,34/ 43.5 .|| .242 10.50 II 100 1 100 June, 1915 1,1/8 , 53 .236 • 1 12.55 11 98 1 120 June, 1916 1,92/ 54 .335 18.00 II 139 1 171 June, 1917 2,260 54 II .425 ,22.90 J ,1/6 1 218 June, 1918 2,386 54 1 .534 28.68 1 221 1 273 T ABLE 27. Loom -fixing: Males — 7 Establishments June, 1914 153 53.5 .317 17.00 1 100 100 June, 1915 98 53.5 .304 16.30 1 96 96 June, 1916 154 53.5 .469 25.10 1 148 148 June, 1917 162 53.5 .496 26.60 1 15/ 157 June, 1918 181 54.5 .541 29.40 1 171 1 173 * Excludes General Labor 44 WOOL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY (continued) I SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED b'CCUP'ATibNAL GROUPS, JUNE, I9I4, JUNE, I918, IN A GROUP OF SEVEN ESTABLISHMENTS Figures in columns G and D in these tables represent compute i fuU-tiim earnings (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 28. Carding: Females — 2 Establishments ne 1: Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers ii Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly earnings Weekly earnings A B c D \\ E \ F June, 1914 42 53.5 f .131 S7.04 1 100 1 100 June, 1915 40 53.5 .129 6.91 99 1 98 June, 1916 46 53.5 .165 8.76 ■ 126 1 124 June, 1917 56 53.5 .206 11.05 157 1 157 June, 1918 52 53.5 1 .289 14.83 221 1 211 1 rABLE 29. Spinning Females — 3 Establishments June, 1914 387 54 1 .132 1 7.15 1 100 100 June, 1915 109 42.5 II .142 6.05 1 108 85 June, 1916 355 47 ' .204 1 9.68 156 135 June, 1917 322 50 II .216 10. /2 1 164 150 June, 1918 413 53 1 .359 1 19.10 272 1 267 TABLE 30 Burlers: Females - — 7 Establishments June, 1914 382 53.5 1 .156 8.32 1 100 1 100 June, 1915 229 53 1 .158 1 8.3J 1 101 1 100 June, 1916 385 53.5 .215 1 11.50 1 138 1 138 June, 1917 369 53 1 .282 1 14.9J 1 181 1 179 June, 1918 297 54 1 .358 1 19.30 1 230 1 232 ^ PABLE 31. Menders: Females — 6 Establishments June, 1914 637 52.5 1 .188 1 9.91 1 100 1 100 June, 1915 344 52.5 1 .191 10.00- 1 102 1 101 June, 1916 668 53.8 1 .240 , 12.90 1 128 1 130 June, 1917 470 53 1 .306 16.23 1 163 1 164 June, 1918 490 54 1 .398 1 21.40 1 212 1 216 45' susannN xsoni N P N „ . _ — « J o ©i o fe; »^ O ■^ <» IK -SS o V / ^'■ a r ' ,« * ^^ to I / ^ ; / '•' .'' ; / ,' 'o' i/' '^,'- ^' >v 'V g *N . v <' ^ s fq •o k\ v^ X g s-> V ^ *< h ■^oO -& •v> \ g ""* ^o» cS > V, a =>;-V '5 ••> Nv to nVn. s , "A^ 'a \\s\ s ■• V i-< •v k\ "3 ■• V\ s ■••A \^\ "m fe; m" ^ ^ >- - •^ Oi ■ ■•». ^ ac ^ V ^ K- S k O m ^ 1 ^ » K CO (0 o ^0 ■■ Ij -£ 111 111 i f iq-ioi-i S v.\ C3 ACTURING UDEX NUMBERS :0 ON TOTAL PAYRI ^O) l"l,v^ ZZZZ s ^ * UUblUI 1 /// if ' ii:=s 3 S! a'/ 2 « «^ 33UIU ^ « OO UIU a H u 5 \ l/ < s .-^ xz»» 3 1 f 2 1 S" 1 j < x^ J " i3 a g a i 1 » m m a m e n sdaannN xsdni (^ te; fci tinOH tl3d S1N33 a a o « n « 1 ^^_ MMiUi > 1 UFACTURING INDUSl £ ABSOLUTE HOURLY EARNINGS ALE AND FEMALE WORKERS ON TOTAL PAYROLL AVERAGES 9 third week of September /9I4-I9I8 nd first week of March 1919 RLY EARNINGS - MALES u g u is 11. e <;, i if 2 i ■ ■■■■■■ i i s 11 "Ill" ^^^^= 23 _l o □ «3 ■ ■ ^riHiiiil ^■■■M n 0) o (0 lA 01 5 dnoH aad 81n33 >i:^3M ll3d' Bd^-IIDO n^ K| ^ ^ I a n 11 o N 10 a 10 o !*■?'--. II luii^g imiilillil itmtmmflfflfl 4|-#t4#4#i44^^ o: iiiiiUiUi !■■■■■■■■ 1- UFACTURING INDUS' Z ABSOLUTE WEEKLY EARNINGS ALE ANO FEMALE WORKERS ON TOTAL PAYROLL AVERAGES /o third week of^eptemier ISI4-I3I6 d first week ofMarchlSIS :KLY EARNINGS - MALES S 1 -1 s s i 1 K 0) g U u z ^ z 1 z ~i i33M «3rf suvinoa 48 V SILK MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY Wage data applying to the silk industry were obtained from 29 identical establishments, located chiefly in the States of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, employing 4,897 males in 1914, 4,151 in 1918, and 4,539 in 1919; 6,312 females in 1914, 6,095 in 1918, and 6,178 in 1919. For the period September, 1914, to September, 1918, these figures indicate a falling off of 15% in employment of men and of V/f/o in employment of women. The number employed in March, 1919, was slightly larger than in the preceding September, but still somewhat smaller than in September, 1914. Hourly Earnings September, 1914, to StePXEMBER, 1918 Table 1 presents averages for all male workers in the 29 identical establishments. As noted in column C of this table, average hourly earnings advanced from 23.0 cents in 1914 to 43.1 cents in 1918, an increase for the period of 88%. In the several occupational groups hourly earnings of males show wide differences in per- centage changes. For weavers on piecework (Table 4) hourly earnings advanced from 21.6 cents in 1914 to 44.1 cents in 1918, an increase of 104%, and for miscellaneous unskilled labor (Table 6) they advanced from 25.1 cents in 1914 to 47.2 cents in 1918, an increase of 88%. In contrast to these groups the hourly averages for weavers on timework (Table 5) rose from 30.2 cents in 1914 to 43.3 cents in 1918, an increase of only 43%; for warpers (Table 3) the increase was 66%. It will be noted, however, that the actual earnings of weavers on timework in 1914 were comparatively high. Table 2 gives averages for all female workers in the 29 identical establishments. Average hourly earnings, as noted in column C of this table, advanced from 15.6 cents in 1914 to 28.5 cents in 1918, an increase of 83%. The greatest increase was shown by weavers on piecework (Table 11), for whom the average increased from 15.4 cents in 1914 to 32.2 cents in 1918, an advance of 109%. PROPERTY OF LlfeRARY There was a noteworthy similarity in percentage changes for warpers (Table 10), quillers (Table 9), and winders on piecework (Table 8), these being 80%, 79%, and 78% respectively; the absolute earnings in these groups differed considerably. In contrast to the increases in these four groups was the comparatively low increase of 49% for winders on timework (Table 7). Total payroll averages indicate that, as a whole, hourly earnings of male and female workers advanced during the war period in about the same proportion (Tables 1 and 2 and Chart 12), the increase for men being 88% and for women 83%. There was, however, consider- able difference in actual ihoney earned, males earning 23 cents per hour in 1914 and females 15.6 cents. For only one class of workers, weavers on piecework (Tables 4 and 11), was there an opportunity to compare the per- centage increase in earnings of males and females in similar occupations. In this occupation hourly averages of males increased from 21.6 cents to 44.1 cents during the war period, an advance of 104%, as compared with 109% for female workers, for whom absolute earnings advanced from 15.4 cents to 32.2 cents. Opportunity for comparison of percentage increases in hourly earnings of timeworkers and pieceworkers in similar occupations is limited to two groups, namely, male weavers (Tables 4 and 5) and female winders (Tables 7 and 8). In both cases pieceworkers show very much higher percentage increases. Thus hourly earnings of female winders on piecework increased during the war period by 78% as compared with 49% for those on timework. Hourly earnings of male weavers on piecework increased 104% as compared with 43% for timeworkers. It will be noted, however, that In 1914 the absolute amount earned per hour by timeworkers was higher in both groups than that earned by pieceworkers. Thus hourly earnings of female winders on timework in 1914 were 15.4 cents as compared with 12.9 cents for pieceworkers, and for male weavers on timework they were 30.2 cents as compared with 21.6 cents for those on piecework. Hourly Earnings September, 1918, to March, 1919 Between September, 1918, and March, 1919, average hourly earnings of male workers rose from 43.1 cents to 50 45.3 cents (Table 1), an increase of 5%. This increase was accompanied by an increase of 10% in the number of male workers. The increase in number of male workers did not, however, extend to all occupational groups. In two, warpers and miscellaneous unskilled labor (Tables 3 and 6) respectively, fewer employees were reported in March, 1919, than in the preceding September. For these two groups, as well as for weavers on piecework (Table 4), average hourly earnings in March, 1919, were higher than in September, 1918. The increases were small, however, that of warpers from 37.5 cents to 40.6 cents, an advance of 8%, being the largest. In one group, weavers on timework, a 3% decrease from 43.3 cents to 41.9 cents is indicated (Table 5). For the entire 43/^-year period under investigation the hourly earnings for all male workers advanced 97%. In the case of female workers only a slight increase in the number employed took place between' September, 1918, and March, 1919, in the 29 reporting establishments (Table 2). Their average hourly earnings increased in this period from 28.5 cents to 31.2 cents, an advance of 9%, bringing the increase for the entire 43^-year period up to 100%. For female workers all of the occupational groups indicated increases in average hourly earnings in the period September, 1918, to March, 1919. Averages for winders on piecework (Table 8) increased during the six months from 22.9 cents to 26.8 cents, an advance of 17%, bringing the total increase for the 4J^-year period for this group up to 108%. Hourly earnings of weavers on piecework (Table 11) averaged 35.3 cents in March, 1919, an increase of 9}/2% over those of September, 1918, and of 129% for the entire period covered by the investigations. Weekly Earnings September, 1914, to September, 1918 Owing to the fact that the average hours worked per week in 1914 and 1918 by male workers differed only slightly, no marked divergence in percentage changes in hourly and weekly earnings was noted. In the total payroll data, weekly earnings of males increased from 51 $11.77 to $21.54 during the war period, an advance of 83%, as compared with 88% in hourly earnings. This slight difference is explained by a decrease in average hours from 51.2 in 1914 to 50 in 1918. The movement of weekly earnings in the specified occupational groups, however, showed greater variations. The percentage increase in weekly earnings of weavers on timework (Table 5), for example, was 51% against 43% in hourly earnings. Again in the case of warpers (Table 3) the increases in weekly and hourly earnings were, respec- tively, 55% and 66%. In this case average hours worked per week were less in 1918 than in 1914. In all cases the divergences noted were practically proportional to the differences in average hours worked in the 1918 and 1914 periods. In the payroll averages of female workers (Table 2) weekly earnings advanced during the war period from $7.49 to $14.06, an increase of 88%. This coincides closely with the change in hourly earnings, since there was only a slight difference in average hours worked per week in the two periods. Among the occupational groups, however, there were several instances of marked difference in the averages for hours worked per week, with con- sequent wide divergences in percentage changes in average weekly and average hourly earnings. Notable examples of such divergences are found in the case of winders on piecework (Table 8), in which weekly earnings increased 103% as compared with 78% in hourly earnings, and of warpers on piecework (Table 10), in which the increases in weekly and hourly earnings were 104% and 80% respectively. Weekly Earnings September, 1918, to March, 1919 In data applying to the total payrolls as well as to the occupational groups for both male and female workers, weekly earnings are shown to be larger in March, 1919, than in the preceding September. In most groups this advance in weekly earnings was due to increased hourly earnings. Total payroll averages for male workers show an in- crease in weekly earnings from $21.54 in September, 1918, to $22.69 in March, 1919, as a result of higher hourly 62 averages, the average hours worked in the two periods being the same. Owing to an increase in hourly earnings the weekly earnings of male weavers on piecework (Table 4) and male warpers (Table 3) for the six months period advanced from $21.84 to $22.30 for the former and from $18.78 to $20.16 for the latter, in spite of a reduction in average hours worked. The experience of weavers on timework (Table 5) was practically the reverse. For this group average weekly earnings were slightly lower in March, 1919, than in September, 1918. Hourly earnings for the group showed a proportionately greater reduction for the period, but the effect on weekly earnings was largely offset by an increase in the average hours worked per week. Weekly earnings of female workers, as shown by total payroll averages (Table 2), advanced from $14.06 in 1918 to $15.10 in 1919, an increase of 7%. This was due to an increase in average hourly earnings, and brings the total increase for the entire 43^-year period up to 102%. In general, weekly earnings of females in the various occupational groups were larger in March than in Sep- tember. Thus earnings of weavers on piecework (Table 11) increased from $15.90 to $17.56, or by 10%, making the increase for the entire period under investigation 140%. Weekly earnings of winders on timework (Table 7) advanced from $10.45 to $11.68, indicating an increase of 12% for the last six months and of 48% for the whole period. Weekly earnings of winders on piecework (Table 8) and of quillers (Table 9) increased slightly in the last six months of the period. Although hourly earnings of warpers on piecework (Table 10) increased 12% between September, 1918, and March, 1919, weekly earnings failed to advance for this period, owing to a decrease in hours worked from 53.9 to 46.9. Summary The wage changes occurring in the silk manufacturing industry during the 43/^-year period covered by the in- vestigation may be briefly summarized as follows: Hourly earnings, of all male workers, collectively, increased 88% to September, 1918, and 97% to March, 1919, based on September, 1914, averages. For female workers these increases were 83% and 100%, respectively. 53 Weekly earnings of all male workers advanced 83% to September, 1918, and 93% to March, 1919, from the 1914 level. For female workers these percentages were 88%, to September, 1918, and 102% to March, 1919. Percentage Increases in the specified occupations ranged from 39% to 129% in hourly earnings, and from 49% to 140% in weekly earnings. It is significant,, however, that with respect to numbers represented in the different groups, averages for more than 90% of the women in these occupations showed increases of 100% or greater for the 4^/^ years. In the case of male workers, percentage increases werb greater than 100% for only one group, namely, weavers on piecework (Table 4). This group, however, represented more than 70% of all men in the specified occupations. Charts Chart 12, constructed from index numbers in Tables 1 and 2, shows graphically the relative rates of increase in hourly and weekly earnings for men and women during the entire period covered by the study. It will be observed that all curves lie quite close together. This suggests that increases were probably granted In the form of uniform percentage advances affecting all workers more or less uniformly. It also indicates a uni- formity in average actual hours worked in the different payroll periods considered. Chart 13 is a bar diagram representing the average absolute hourly earnings of male and female workers as tabulated In Tables 1 and 2. Chart 14 is a similar diagram constructed from data for weekly earnings in Tables 1 and 2. 54 SILK MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY; SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I9I4, (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 1. Total Payroll Data: Males — 29 Establishments One Tbtal number workers Average number hrs, per week Actual earnings Index numbers in: Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly earnings Weekly earnings A B c D E F Sept., 1914 4,897 51.2 % .230 $11.77 100 100 Sept., 1915 4,922 53.1 .238 12.66 104 108 Sept., 1916 5,010 49.6 .284 14.10 124 120 Sept., 1917 4,778 50.2 .309 15.50 134 132 Sept., 1918 4,151 50.0 .431 21.54 188 183 March, 1919 4,539 50.1 .453 22.69 197 193 TABLE 2. Tota 1 Payroll Di ita: Females — 29 Establishments Sept., 1914 6,312 48.2 .156 7.49 100 100 Sept., 1915 6,456 51.2 .157 8.02 101 107 Sept., 1916 6,794 49.2 .193 9.52 124 127 Sept., 1917 6,619 50.0 .215 10.75 138 1 144 Sept., 1918 6,095 49.3 II .285 14.06 183 188 March, 1919 6,178 48.5 1 .312 15.10 200 202 TABLE 3. Warpir ig — Timeworkers : Males — 12 Establishments Sept., 1914 167 53.7 1 .226 12.10 1 100 1 100 Sept., 1915 152 53.4 .228 12.19 1 101 1 101 Sept., 1916 194 49.0 .263 12.86 1 116 106 Sept., 1917 153 46.8 .300 14.02 133 116 Sept., 1918 144 50.0 .375 18.78 166 155 March, 1919 107 49.6 .406 20.16 180 167 TABLE 4 . Weavii ng — Pieceworkers : Males — 27 Establishments Sept., 1914 1,605 48.3 .216 10.41 100 100 Sept., 1915 1,765 51.8 .220 11.41 102 110 Sept., 1916 1,900 50.7 .283 14.34 131 138 Sept., 1917 2,168 49.5 .330 16.38 153 157 Sept., 1918 1,741 49.5 .441 21.84 204 210 March, 1919 1,872 47.8 .467 22.30 216 214 TABLE 5 Weavii ig — Timeworkers : Males — 10 Establishments Sept., 1914 781 46.7 .302 1 14.11 100 100 Sept., 1915 960 51.6 .265 13.68 88 97 Sept., 1916 767 48.2 .320 15.41 106 109 Sept., 1917 275 50.0 .327 16.36 108 116 Sept., 1918 204 49.2 .433 21.30 143 ]i5a March, 1919 235 50.6 .419 21.20 139 m TABLE 6. Misc. Unskilled Labor: Males — 11 Establishments Sept., 1914 258 52.8 1 .251 13.25 100 100 Sept., 1915 292 53.4 .252 13.45 100 102 Sept., 1916 324 52.4 .268 14.03 107 106 " Sept., 1917 377 51.2 .309 15.84 123 120 Sept., 1918 417 53.3 .472 25.20 188 190 March, 1919 361 53.8 .477 25.69 190 194 55 SILK MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY {continued) ;. SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I9I4, ^^ MARCH, I9I9 (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 7. Winding — Timeworkers: Females — 12 Establishments One week in: Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly earnings Weekly earnings A B C D £ F Sept., 1914 738 51.2 $ .154 $7.90 100 100 Sept., 1915 667 43.4 .179 1 7.78 116 99 Sept., 1916 571 48.8 .171 8.34 111 106 Sept., 1917 387 47.8 .171 8.18 111 104 Sept., 1918 242 45.3 .230 10.45 149 132 March, 1919 291 47.1 .248 11.68 1 161 148 TABLE 8 . Winding > — PieceworkLers: Females — 21 Establishments Sept., 1914 646 47.5 .129 6.11 100 100 Sept., 1915 646 ■ 49.8 .138 6.88 107 113 Sept., 1916 611 49.2 .156 7.68 121 126 Sept., 1917 1 681 43.4 .176 7.65 1 137 125 Sept., 19181 428 54.1 1 .229 1 12.40 1 178 203 March, 1919 | 526 56.7 .268 1 12.51 1 208 205 TABLE < >. Ouillin 5 — Timeworkers : Females — 7 Establishments Sept., 1914 98 50.9 .112 5.68 100 100 Sept., 1915 59 50.2 .110 5.54 98 98 Sept., 1916 72 48.7 .128 6.22 114 110 Sept., 1917 1 70 48.5 .142 6.88 127 121 Sept., 19181 55 48.4 .200 9.71 179 171 March, 1919 | 56 45.7 .221 10.09 1 197 1 178 TABLE 1( . Warpin g — Pieceworkers : Females — 23 Establishments Sept., 1914 633 47.3 .146 6.90 100 100 Sept., 1915 708 53.2 .171 9.08 117 132 Sept., 1916 663 51.2 .191 9.80 131 142 Sept., 1917 591 52.2 .212 11.05 145 160 Sept., 1918 489 53.9 .262 14.10 180 204 March, 1919 615 46.9 .294 13.76 201 200 TABLE 11 . Weavin J — Pieceworkers : Females — 2 6 Establishments Sept., 1914 1,965 47.5 .154 7.32 100 100 Sept., 1915 2,042 53.2 .164 8.70 107 119 Sept., 1916 2,320 51.8 .189 9.77 123 1 134 Sept., 1917 2,353 50.9 1 .235 11.96 153 164 Sept., 1918 2,161 49.4 1 .322 15.90 209 217 March, 1919 2,207 49.8 1 .353 1 17.56 229 240 56 sdsannN xaoNi \ » — VVr \ ■•-A ^ v Ny ' W \ \ \ \ '^■. \ > \ 'V \ \ Y\ ^ § \ V \ CO % 5 \ \ 3 £ i \ \ s ^ \ \\ It tn 0) •□ i- ^ III 111 S ^Q lo-i in -1 3 |5 !:i\ '; UR lUMB OTAI ^^ noiai (0 S Sr 1319(9 C3 u -■ ac (0 in C9 (0 ■_■ ^ u Z 5"2 <>£ u _ (Eu-I 3 ij- Of Timiiimiiiiniii NUFACTURING INDUST AGE ABSOLUTE WEEKLY EARNINOS P MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS ED ON TOTAL PAYROLL AVERAGES fer to third weeA of Seo/emier /$I4-I9I3 ana firjt ms/i of March 1919 WEEKLY EARNINGS - MALES \\ iiUiiii ■Miiiiiii 11 ; 1 19 u 5 J z < < ~ ^ u i < SO"? S S5 (0 ^ ■ B o> N CD (0 0) 10 0) 2 )i33w d3d suvnioa VI BOOT AND SHOE INDUSTRY Wage data applying to the boot and shoe industry were secured from 14 establishments located in the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Illinois and Missouri. These establishments employed 7,575 male workers in 1914, 7,349 in 1918, and 7,419 in 1919; female workers numbered 3,841 in 1914, 4,305 in 1918, and 4,667 in 1919. The statistics indicate a decrease of 3% in the number of male workers employed between 1914 and 1918 and of 2% between 1914 and 1919. The number of women employed, on the other hand, increased 12% above the 1914 total up to Septem- ber, 1918, and to nearly 21% in March, 1919. Hourly earnings in the boot and shoe industry were generally characterized by lower percentage increases between September, 1914, and September, 1918, than those of the other industries covered by this study. The increase applying to all male workers collectively was only 67% for the period, while for female workers it was lower, namely, 55%. For the different occupations in the industry the increases ranged for the most part between 48% and 75%. No increases were higher than 78%. While percentage increases were thus comparatively low, this was not true of absolute earnings. On the contrary, in the case of male workers, total payroll averages of hourly earnings in the boot and shoe industry were higher in 1914 than for any of the other industries covered, and in September, 1918, were exceeded only by those for the rubber and metal industries. Hourly earn- ings of women were also higher than those in the other industries in 1914 and only slightly lower than those of the highest groups in 1918 and 1919. Important advances In earnings occurred between September, 1918, and March, 1919, thus bringing the percentage increases up to a point of favorable com- parison with the other industries. 60 Hourly Earnings September, 1914, to September, 1918 Average hourly earnings of all male workers in 14 establishments, collectively (Table 1), increased from 29.2 cents in 1914 to 48.9 cents in 1918, an advance of 67%, and but few important divergences from this percentage of increase were noted in the different occupations. In eight groups (Tables 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12) the per- centage increase in hourly averages ranged somewhat above that applying to the total payroll figures, men in the lasting department on piecework (Table 8) showing the greatest advance, namely, 78%. In the five remain- ing groups (Tables 3, 7, 13, 14 and 15) the percentage increases were smaller than that indicated by the total payroll averages. Of these, an increase of 48% for miscellaneous unskilled labor (Table 15) was the smallest. Average hourly earnings of female workers irrespective of occupation, in the 14 establishments represented in the total payroll data (Table 2), advanced from 19.2 cents in 1914 to 29.8 cents in 1918, an increase of 55%. In the data secured, women workers were represented in sufficient numbers to warrant tabulation for only three occupational groups, that of fitting, pieceworkers (Table 17), being the most important. The largest percentage of increase between 1914 and 1918 for any occupation employing women, namely, 72%, occurred in this group. Increases for the other two groups, upper leather cutters (Table 16) and timeworkers in the fitting department (Table 18), were 57% and 29%, respectively. Hourly Earnings September, 1918, to March, 1919 Average hourly earnings of all male workers, collec- tively, in 14 establishments, for the period September, 1918, to March, 1919 (Table 1), increased from 48.9 to 53.9 cents, an advance of 10%. For the period 1914 to 1919 this indicates a total increase in hourly earnings of 85%. Increases in average hourly earnings for the different occupational groups during the last six months of the period ranged from 1% to 18%. The most noteworthy advances took place in the case of pieceworkers in sole 61 leather cutting (Table 4) arid finishing (Table 14), the increases being 18% in both instances. Actual earnings advanced from 46.9 in 1918 to 55.2 cents in 1919 for the former and from 54 to 63.8 cents for the latter. For the entire 43/^-year period, in the case of sole leather cutters the increase amounted to 104%. In all other groups of male workers percentage increases in hourly earnings for the whole period studied ranged well under 100%. Hourly earnings of females, irrespective of occupational groups, advanced from 29.8 to 30.8 cents in the period between September, 1918, and March, 1919 (Table 2), an increase of over 3%. For the period September, 1914, to March, 1919, the increases totaled 60%. Some- what greater increases for the six months period were noted in the occupational groups, namely, 9% for upper leather cutting (Table 16), 4% for pieceworkers in the fitting de- partment (Table 17), and 17% for timeworkers in that department (Table 18). For the entire period studied, pieceworkers in the fitting department received an increase of 80%, time- workers In the same department, 50%, and timeworkers in the cutting department, 71%. Comparison of the total payroll averages for males and females, and of averages for occupations which have both men and women workers, indicates generally a con- siderably higher percentage of increase in hourly earnings of male workers. In the total payroll data (Tables 1 and 2) for the period 1914 to 1919, males received an increase of 85% as compared With 60% for females. In the upper leather department an advance of 87% Is indicated for male workers (Table 5), and of 71% for women (Table 16). In the fitting department, however, the relation was reversed, advances for males and females being 77% (Table 9) and 80% (Table 17), respectively. In all instances there were substantial differences in actual earnings. The total payroll average for males in 1914 was 29.2 cents and for females 19.2 cents per hour. Data were submitted for both timeworkers and piece- workers in the following occupational groups: Men — sole leather cutting (Tables 3 and 4), upper leather cutting (Tables 5 and 6), lasting (Tables 7 and 8), and finishing (Tables 13 and 14) ; women — fitting (Tables 17 and 18). In four out of five of these groups percentage 62 increases in hourly earnings for pieceworkers were sub- stantially greater than for timeworkers. Thus for females on piecework in the fitting department the increase was 80%, while for timeworkers it was only 50%; for male pieceworkers in the sole leather department the increase was 104% against only 69% for timeworkers; for male pieceworkers in the lasting department it was 94% against 65% for timeworkers, and for male finishers 93% and 77% respectively. In upper leather cutting an exception to the rule was found, timeworkers receiving an increase of 87% for the 43^-year period as compared with 78% for pieceworkers. It should be borne In mind that these differences in percentage increases of timeworkers and pieceworkers may not be an accurate measure of the relative effort made by these two groups of workers, since the tasks and the conditions of work while similar, may not have been identical. Weekly Earnings September, 1914, to September, 1918 Wide differences in average hours worked per week in 1914, as compared with 1918, were few in number, and consequently percentage increases in weekly earnings in most groups did not differ materially from those in hourly earnings. In the total payroll averages for males, weekly earnings increased from $14.70 in 1914 to $24.04 in 1918, an advance of 64% as compared with 67% in hourly earnings. In seven of the occupational groups (Tables 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14) percentage increases in weekly earnings ranged under those for hourly earnings. The most notable differences were found in the case of upper leather cutting, timeworkers (Table 5), and sole leather cutting, pieceworkers (Table 4). In the former group weekly earnings increased 60% as compared with 73% for hourly earnings, actual weekly earnings advancing from $15.49 in 1914 to $24.76 in 1918. In the latter group weekly earnings advanced from $14.01 in 1914 to $22.17 in 1918, an increase of 58% as compared with 73% in hourly earnings. In six occupational groups (Tables 3, 6, 8, 10, 11 and 15) percentage increases in weekly earnings were equal to or higher than the increases in hourly earnings. The differences were slight, however, the divergence in the case of upper leather cutters on piece- 6.3 work (Table 6) being the greatest. In this group weekly earnings increased from $14.02 in 1914 to $27.30 in 1918, an increase of 95% as compared with 69% for hourly earnings. Weekly Earnings September, 1918, to March, 1919 In the case of male workers for this period, two general tendencies are observed, namely, a substantial increase in hourly earnings and a reduction, somewhat less marked, in average hours worked per week. As a result weekly earnings in March, 1919, while above those for September, 1918, did not increase in the same proportion as the hourly earnings. For all male workers combined (Table 1), weekly earnings advanced between September, 1918, and March, 1919, from $24.04 to $25.90, an increase of 73^%. In nearly all occupational groups, for the six months period, advances were shown in weekly earnings ranging from 4% to 17%. The latter increase was indicated in the case of male finishers on piecework (Table 14), whose weekly earnings advanced from $25.77 to $30.13. In two groups only was a decrease noted for this period in weekly earnings. These were piece- workers in fitting (Table 9), in which case the decline was slight, and pieceworkers in upper leather cutting (Table 6), whose earnings fell from $27.30 to $23.62, a decrease of 133/^%, due to a very sharp reduction in average hours worked. Advances in hourly earnings of female workers between 1918 and 1919 were small. The average hours worked per week remained unchanged, however, and consequently percentage increases in weekly earnings coincided with those in hourly earnings. According to total payroll data, average weekly earnings rose from $14.24 to $14.69 in this period corresponding to the slight increase in average hourly earnings. Average hours worked per week in 1919 were the same as in 1914, and as a result a percentage increase of 60% in weekly earnings coincided with the increase in hourly earnings. In the case of piece- workers in the fitting department, the most important group, weekly earnings advanced from $15.91 in 1918 to $16.22 in 1919, the reduction in hours worked being offset by an advance in hourly earnings. 64 Summary For the boot and shoe industry, as a whole, average hourly earnings of all male workers in the reporting estab- lishments, collectively, increased during the first four years covered by the study from 29.2 to 48.9 cents per hour, or by 67%. During the six months between Sep- tember, 1918, and March, 1919, these earnings advanced to 53.9 cents per hour, thus bringing the increase for the entire period up to 85%. For female workers in the in- dustry, hourly earnings increased from 19.2 cents in 1914 to 29.8 cents in 1918, or by 55%. In March, 1919, these earnings averaged 30.8 cents per hour; the increase for the entire 4)^ years was 60%. Increases in hourly earnings in the specified occupational groups of male workers for the 43^ years were in most cases somewhat lower than that indicated by the total payroll averages. The lowest increase for the period was 64% and applied to miscellaneous unskilled labor (Table 15) ; the highest, 104%, applied to sole leather cutters on piecework (Table 4). Increases for the remaining groups ranged for the most part between 70% and 90%. For the three groups of female workers Specified, the increases for the 43^ years were, 50%, 71% and 80%, respectively. Averages of weekly earnings of male workers in the industry increased during the first 4 years covered by the study from $14.70 to $24.04, or by 64%. Those of women increased during the period from $9.18 to $14.24, or by 55%. Increases in weekly earnings in the specified occupa- tional groups were in a majority of instances substantially the same as those in hourly earnings up to September, 1918. For the period between September, 1918, and March, 1919, weekly earnings, both according to total payroll averages and to those applying to the separate groups, showed further increases, but these were in most cases less marked than the increases in hourly earnings. Charts Chart 15 is based on total payroll figures for all male and female workers collectively and shows the relative rates of increase in the earnings of the two groups. It 65 will be observed that the earnings of women increased less than those of men. Chart 16 shows by bar diagrams comparisons of average hourly earnings of male and female workers for each period. Chart 17 is .similar to Chart 16 except that the compari- sons are of weekly earnings. Chart 18 contains index number curves for the more important groups of male workers. In four of the six groups represented, earnings increased at practically the same rate up to September, 1918. m BOOT AND SHOE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY : SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I914, MARCH, I919 (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 1. Total Payroll Data: Males — 14 Establishments One week in: Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Av. hourly Av. weekly Index numbers Hourly earnings Weekly earnings A B D Sept., 1914 7,575 I 50.3 .292 $14.70 100 100 Sept., 1915 7,259 I 50.8 .302 I 15.33 104 104 Sept., 1916 ;,241 I 51.1 .325 I 16.60 112 113 Sept., 1917 7,373 49.9 .388 19.36 133 132 Sept., 1918 7,349 49.2 .489 I 24.04 167 164 March, 1919 7,419 I 48.0 .539 I 25.90 185 176 TABLE 2. Total Payroll Data: Females — 14 Establishments Sept., 1914 3,841 I 47.9 .192 I 9.18 I 100 100 Sept., 1915 3,605 I 49.3 .193 I 9.53 I 101 104 Sept., 1916 4,191 50.5 .207 I 10.45 I 108 114 Sept., 1917 4,308 47.0 .243 I 11.42 I 127 .125 Sept., 1918 4,305 I 47.7 .298 I 14.24 I 155 155 March, 1919 4,667 47.7 .308 14.69 I 160 160 TABLE 3 Sole Leather Cutting — Timeworkers: Males — 9 Estab Sept., 1914 458 I 48.4 I .254 I 12.31 I 100 100 Sept., 1915 451 I 49.4 I ..248 I 12.28 98 100 Sept., 1916 I 52.0 .252 I 13.10 99 106 Sept., 1917 400 48.5 .303 14.69 I 119 118 Sept., 1918 432 I 49.6 .405 20.12 160 162 March, 1919 372 49.1 I .428 I 21.04 I 169 171 TABLE 4 Sole Leather Gutting — -Pieceworkers: Males — 9 Estab. Sept., 1914 129 I 51.7 .271 I 14.01 I 100 100 Sept., 1915 125 I 51.9 .290 I 15.05 I 107 107 Sept., 1916 156 53.6 .323 17.35 I 119 124 Sept., 1917 110 I 48.4 .351 I 16.98 I 130 121 Sept., 1918 113 I 47.3 .469 I 22.17 173 158 March, 1919 97 I 46.3 .552 I 25.51 I 204 182 TABLE 5. Upper Leather Cutting — Timeworkers: Males - 11 Estab. Sept., 1914 741 I 53.6 I 15.49 I 100 100 Sept., 1915 758 50.S .302 I 14.34 105 99 Sept., 1916 826 I 50.6 .319 I 16.12 I 110 104 Sept., 1917 736 I 49.3 .391 I 19.25 I 135 124 Sept., 1918 682 I 49.6 .499 24.76 I 173 160 March, 1919 538 I 49.1 .539 26.45 I 187 171 TABLE 6. Upper Leather Cutting — Pieceworkers: Males — 8 Estab Sept., 1914 527 I 42.3 .331 14.02 I 100 100 Sept., 1915 450 50.S .298 I 15.13 90 108 Sept., 1916 565 I 47.2 .411 I 16.65 I 124 119 Sept., 1917 447 I 49.5 .394 I 19.51 119 139 Sept., 1918 535 .559 I 27.30 I 169 195 March, 1919 555 I 40.0 .591 I 23.62 67 I 178 169 BOOT AND SHOE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY {continued) '. SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I914, MARCH, I919 (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 7. Lasting — Timeworkers : Males — 9 Establishments One week in: Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly earnings Weekly earnings A B C D E- F Sept., 1914 325 52.6 % .226 $11.90 100 100 Sept., 1915 266 49.2 .253 12.61 112 106 Sept., 1916 294 50.5 .251 12.69 111 107 Sept., 1917 339 48.5 .290 14.05 128 118 Sept., 1918 273 49.8 .368 18.30 163 154 March, 1919 264 51.1 .373 1 19.07 165 160 TABLES. Lasting — Pieceworkers: Males — 11 Establislinients Sept., 1914 1 1,055 | 49.1 || .315 | 15.44 || 100 | 100 Sept., 1915 1 1,000 I 49.5 .320 15.82 102 Sept., 1916 1 1,133 | 51.0 .339 17.28 108 j.03_ 112 Sept., 1917 I 1,007 | 48.2 .429 20.70 136 I 134 Sept., 1918 1 936 | 48.9 .562 I 27.50 178 I 178 March, 1919 I 1,075 47.2 .612 28.90 194 I 187 TABLE 9. Fitting — Pieceworkers: Males — 8 Establishments Sept., 1914 1 211 49.0 .274 I 13.44 100 100 Sept., 1915 1 210 I 49.0 .286 13.99 104 104 Sept., 19161 220 .301 I 14.87 110 I 111 Sept., 19171 253 47.5 .317 I 15.05 116 I 112 Sept., 19181 163 I 48.9 .482 23.58 176 175 March, 1919 1 156 | 47.6 .486 I 23.17 177 172 TABLE 10. Making — Pieceworkers: Males — 8 Establishments Sept., 19141 419 | 47.6 .324 I 15.44 100 100 Sept., 19151 367 51.5 .354 I 18.21 109 118 Sept., 19161 432 52.0 .387 I 20.11 119 130 Sept., 1917 1 366 52.3 .405 , I 21.15 125 I 137 Sept., 1918 1 404 | 50.1 .555 I 27.81 171 I 180 March, 1919 | 395 I 50.9 .586 29.83 181 193 TABLE 11. Stitching — Pieceworkers: Males — 5 Establishments Sept., 1914 I 67 48.9 .365 I 17.84 100 100 Sept., 1915 1 77 48.5 .403 I 19.51 110 I 109 Sept., 1916 I 90 54.3 .448 I 24.32 123 I 136 Sept., 1917 I 87 51.2 .625 I 32.00 172 179 Sept., 1918 I 91 49.7 .628 31.20 172 I 175 March, 1919 | 84 47.4 .687 I 32.58 189 183 TABLE 12. Bottoming — Pieceworkers : Males - - 7 Establishments Sept., 1914 828 51.9 .340 17.66 1 100 100 Sept., 1915 821 52.8 .364 19.23 1 107 109 Sept., 1916 939 51.8 .385 19.93 113 113 Sept., 1917 895 50.8 .437 22.20 129 126 Sept., 1918 940 49.7 .570 28.37 168 161 March, 1919 836 48.0 .626 30.04 184 170 68 BOOT AND SHOE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY (continued) : SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I914, MARCH, I919 (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 13. Finishing — Timeworkers : Males — 8 Establishments One . week in: Total number workers Average nltmber hrs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly earnings Weekly earnings ^ B c D E F Sept., 1914 152 49.7 % .217 $10.79 100 100 Sept., 1915 162 50.8 .218 11.08 1 101 103 Sept., 1916 162 51.4 1 .239 12.26 110 114 Sept., 1917 124 49.6 1 .296 14.65 136 136 Sept., 1918 128 48.8 1 .357 17.44 165 162 March, 1919 120 48.2 1 .383 18.46 177 171 TABLE 14. Finishing — Pieceworkers: Males — 12 Establishments Sept., 1914 548 48.8 .330 16.13 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 537 I 50.2 .370 18.59 112 I 115 Sept., 1916 591 I 51.7 .400 20.68 121 128 Sept., 1917 525 I 48.7 .421 20.50 128 127 Sept., 1918 498 I 47.7 .540 I 25.77 164 160 March, 1919 544 47.2 .638 30.13 193 187 TABLE 15 Miscel. Unskilled Workers — Timeworkers: Males — 8 Estab. Sept., 1914 175 I 50.6 .215 10.91 100 100 Sept., 1915 167 I 51.0 .225 I 11.45 105 I 105 Sept., 1916 172 I 53.5 .230 12.27 107 113 Sept., 1917 175 I 50.6 .253 12.78 118 117 Sept., 1918 175 I 50.9 .317 I 16.12 148 I 148 March, 1919 154 49.1 .352 I 17.30 164 I 158 TABLE 16 Upper Leather Cutting — Timeworkers: Females — 7 Estab. Sept., 1914 97 48.9 .173 I 8.48 100 100 Sept., 1915 80 50.4 .172 8.67 I 102 Sept., 1916 100 52.2 .180 9.41 104 111 Sept., 1917 108 41.8 .249 10.39 144 I 123 Sept., 1918 157 I 49.5 .271 I 13.41 157 158 March, 1919 163 47.4 .296 I 14.01 171 165 TABLE 17. Fitting — Pieceworkers : Females — 12 Establishments Sept., 1914 Sept., 1915 1,911 I 46.6 .195 I 100 100 Sept., 1916 1,776 48.9 .199 I 9.74 102 107 Sept., 1917 2,105 I 50.7 .217 10.99 111 121 Sept., 1918 2,179 47.7 ■271 I 12.92 139 142 1,939 47.3 .336 15.91 March, 1919 172 I 175 2,012 46.3 .350 16.22 180 I 179 TABLE 18. Fitting — Timeworkers: Females — 10 Establishments Sept., 1914 397 49.5 .181 8.95 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 328 I 50.6 .174 !.80 96 I Sept., 1916 Sept., 1917 Sept., 1918 March, 1919 356 I 50.0 433 47.5 .188 I .213 I 9.40 10.10 104 I 105 488 I 47.9 506 48.2 .233 I 11.19 .272 I 13.12 118 129 150 113 125 147 SUBSmnN X30NI \ \ \ V '\, \ \. ^ \ \ \ \ y\ \ \ \\ \ \\ \ ' \\ \ \N \\ >- \ ^ Q£ ■•>.s 1- \ ■, \ m \ x 3 \'- a \ \ Z IS $ \ V\ ^ 13 ^ k,\ '•■ rn 5 K \\\ u g 1 5 5 5 \ \ go 1^ 10 en Ul Ul ia_iin_i D 1 \'v\ UJ ■ — ^^ti^W| ff^fFT BianmntmtMJUummmuiUi' ^^^^^^^ m 3 □ ; Z 5 ^ s; UFACTURING TE HOURLY EARNINGS FEMALE WORKERS PAYROLL AVERAGES week of-Septeml>erl9l4 eek of March /9I9 10 Id S ^" 2li. s Id 1 i 1 1 laio ii J < MAN E AB50LU ALE AND DN TOTAL to third nd first w zz scte. « Ulll I 1 IttH+H-HtttttfWrt ^■fff Ko: D SHOE AVERAG OF M BASED Bar~s refer a 33 ■ ■ z < 1- o a CD n 01 o 01 01 CO 01 in 01 5 0) »nOH d3d S1N33 >i33M ii3d suviiaa n N n . _ _^ _„ >■ 1 ^" ^■i n^^mn ■IH H cn ■■i^i^my j^j^mjUJH ttiiiiil 3 a z ^ C3„ .. ^ URIN EARNING RKERS VERAGEE ember /9/ /9/9 o 1 B 4muuummiu ^mri Sli. iJssI ? 1 1 (OU IS CD 1 asms h zz E MAN GE ABSOLU MALE AND D ON TOTAL sr /o fhird and first we d: a: uu ^^ Ulbl 111 111 1 ^^^ Miiiiil HilliH osfea^ »X * 3:s < ^ ■ S a z < 1- ^^^1^ ^^^^^ t^tiMMimmij a a m m a a n o m m ifl 01 5 01 M33M d3d suvn-ioa 72 suaawnN xbqni M - O N N N n aiivCDiii^nw-»j s ■ j ^ ■a ■^ \'^> 1 ^ (§ "' ^ *. "n a £ '-'X . \ ^\ ^ 1 '^ v\^ 1 ■•. " S^NN **.^ ;i \^ > H \ \ » \ \ \ 1 10 \ V 1 ^ 3 Q \ Z \l 1 \ 53 — 10 D \" V \ ■ oo" 1 Of c CO s ; In < Smu —1 3-° ~ Ul < 1- ^ OS in 3 5 a- li N 1- H U 3 111 d: z u 1 * \\ 1 11 a 1 D B A s \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ ■A ^^ 1 ; 1 • \ \ \ 1\ 1 \ i / i / 1'^ 111 111 1 1- s "1 J "L-iBi-rfZ < n. a< dS - s i^ g u 1 3 Ifl- 1 ! 1 1 J D2 1 1 z i / il Q 5 o 1 I 1 1 \l \' / Z Q < H- O o m i a Stl3SNnN XBQNI 73 VII PAPER MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY Wage data applying to male workers in the paper manufacturing industry were secured for the entire period covered by the investigation from 32 identical establishments, most of which are located in the North Atlantic States. These mills employed in the aggregate 8,505 men in the 1914 period, 9,830 in 1918, and 9,579 in March, 1919. Similar data for female workers were received for the six payroll periods from 15 identical mills, also largely distributed over North Atlantic States, and employing in the 1914, 1918 and 1919 periods 779, 941, and 986 women, respectively. The addition of supplemental data from three other important establish- ments increased the number of males to 12,730 in 1918 and to 12,120 in 1919, and the number of females to 2,326 in 1918 and to 1,568 in 1919. The establishments included represented various branches of the industry, but no significant differences either in absolute average earnings or in percentage in- creases were noted as between major groups of mills. Thus, for example, the averages for news print mills were substantially the same as for book paper, writing paper, and specialty mills. Hourly Earnings September, 1914, to September, 1918 Table 1, based on averages for all male workers in the reporting mills, irrespective of occupation, shows that hourly earnings advanced from 23.9 cents in 1914 to 44.8 cents in 1918, the increase, as indicated by the index number, being 88%. Table 2 contains similar combined data for female workers in 15 identical establishments, hourly earnings in this case advancing from 17.7 cents in 1914 to 29.4 cents in 1918 — an increase of 66%. This is considerably smaller than the increase for men, but since the basis of experience presented in the statistics for women workers is narrower than that for men, it may be that they do 74 not accurately reflect the wage conditions for women workers in this industry. The absolute earnings of women, however, compared favorably with those for women in the metal and wool manufacturing industries, being somewhat higher in 1914 and only a little lower in 1918. Data for certain occupational groups of male workers, in most instances, show higher percentage increases than those indicated by the total payroll figures. Hourly earnings of miscellaneous male labor (Table 8), for ex- ample, increased 130% during the period and those for rag- room workers (Table 3), beatermen (Table 4), and calender hands (Table 6) increased 90% or more. Earn- ings of finishers and cuttermen (Table 7) and of machine tenders (Table 5) increased 79% and 72%, respectively. In the case of machine tenders, however, absolute earn- ings in 1914 and 1918 were higher than those in any other group. ' The index numbers of hourly earnings of female workers in the three occupations for which sufficient data were secured to permit of analysis, namely, rag-room workers, both timeworkers and pieceworkers, and finishers and cutters (Tables 9, 10 and 11), show increases of 109%, 124% and 91%, respectively. Average absolute hourly earnings in all of these groups were, however, lower both in 1914 and in 1919 than the general averages applying to female workers collectively (Table 2). Hourly Earnings September, 1918, to March, 1919 No noticeable change in hourly earnings of either male or female workers was observed for the March, 1919, total payroll averages as compared with those of Septem- ber, 1918. For male workers (Table 1) average hourly earnings in March were 45 cents and in September, 1918, 44.8 cents per hour. For women (Table 2) the averages were 29.7 and 29.4 cents per hour, respectively. A similar relation between the averages of March, 1919, and September, 1918, existed in most of the occupa- tional groups. In the case of miscellaneous male labor (Table 8), however, hourly earnings in March were 12^/^% lower than in September and for female workers on piece rates in the rag-room (Table 10) the decrease was nearly 20%. 75 Weekly Earnings September, 1914, to September, 1918 While, according to the total payroll figures (Table 1), average hourly earnings of men increased 88% during the war period, the corresponding increase in weekly earnings was only 76%. This is due to a reduction in average hours worked in the 1918 period to 50 per week against 53.3 in 1914. Weekly earnings of female workers on the other hand increased more sharply than hourly earnings — 87% against 66%. In this case the average hours worked per week rose from 42.3 in 1914 to 47.5 In 1918. Comparisons of increases in weekly earnings of the different occupational groups show them to be proportion- ately smaller in every case than those in hourly earnings. Again the disparity is due to a reduction in actual hours worked in the 1918 period compared with 1914. The fact that a considerable proportion of the mills furnishing data changed in 1916 from the two to the three tour system in the manufacturing departments, or reduced the weekly schedule of work-hours, offers one explanation for the divergence. Weekly earnings of women in the different occupations, except timeworkers in the rag- room (Table 9), also showed relatively lower percentage increases for the period than those applying to hourly earnings. Weekly Earnings September, 1918, to March, 1919 Total payroll figures of weekly earnings of male workers (Table 1) show the same averages for March, 1919, as for September, 1918, viz., $22.40. For the specific occupational groups tabulated, however, the index num- bers for March show a decided decrease in almost every instance from the 1918 averages. In the case of female workers the index numbers for both the total payroll averages and the occupational groups (Tables 2, 9, 10 and 11) are consistently lower for March, 1919, than for the preceding September. Important reductions in average hours worked per week account for this general falling off in weekly earnings, as it will be noticed that in some groups hourly earnings were unchanged, while in others they were higher (Tables 2, 4, 6, 7 and 11). 76 Charts Chart 19, constructed from index numbers of hourly and weekly earnings in Tables 1 and 2, shows the relative rates of increase in earnings of male and female workers. The bar diagrams in Chart 20 represent average absolute hourly earnings of both male and female workers. Chart 21 is similarly constructed from weekly earnings data. 77 PAPER MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY: SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I9I4, MARCH, I9I9 (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 1. Total Payroll Data: Males — 32 Establishments One Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers in: Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly earnings Weekly earnings A B c D E F Sept., 1914 8,505 53.3 % .239 $12.73 100 100 Sept., 1915 8,976 52.5 .243 12.75 102 100 Sept., 1916 9,602 51 .295 15.03 y2A 118 Sept., 1917 9,520 51 .374 19.03 157 150 Sept., 1918 9,830 50 .448 22.40 188 176 March, 1919 9,579 49.8 .450 22.40 189 176 TABL E 2. Tota 1 Payroll Di ita: Females — 15 Establishments Sept., 1914 779 42.3 .177 7.47 100 100 Sept., 1915 856 44.3 .178 7.85 100 105 Sept., 1916 968 46,3 .191 8.80 108 118 Sept., 1917 889 45.3 .230 10.43 130 140 Sept., 1918 941 47,5 .294 13.95 166 187 March, 1919 986 41.3 .297 12.24 168 164 TABLE : (. Rag-Ro om — Timeworkers: Males — 11 Establishments Sept., 1914 138 55.3 .206 11.40 100 100 Sept., 1915 163 52.5 .208 10.91 101 96 Sept., 1916 154 52.5 .259 13.61 126 120 Sept., 1917 157 46,8 .332 15.47 161 136 Sept., 1918 159 51.5 .405 20.80 196 183 March, 1919 158 47.5 1 .392 18.68 190 164 TABLE 4 . Beaterir len — Timeworkers : Males — 32 Establishments Sept., 1914 663 52.8 .232 12.29 100 100 Sept., 1915 749 51.5 .235 12.13 101 99 Sept., 1916 788 49 1 .295 14.43 127 118 Sept., 1917 793 48 .350 16.82 151 137 Sept., 1918 804 49.5 .440 21.72 190 177 March, 1919 732 46 .440 20.20 190 165 TABLE 5. 1 Machine T anders — Timeworkers: Males — -32 Establishments Sept., 1914 1,304 50.5 .309 15.62 100 100 Sept., 1915 1,324 50 .313 15.67 101 100 Sept., 1916 1,442 48.3 .376 18.15 122 116 Sept., 1917 1,396 48.8 .448 21.86 145 140 Sept., 1918 1,393 48.5 .530 25.79 172 165 March, 1919 1,361 47.3 .520 24.60 168 157 TABLE 6. Calender \ lands — Timeworkers : Males — 12 Establishments Sept., 1914 97 57.3 1 .204 11.65 100 100 Sept., 1915 104 58.8 1 .272 15.91 133 137 Sept., 1916 114 45 1 .319 14.33 157 123 Sept., 1917 121 46 .306 14.06 1 150 121 Sept., 1918 130 50.3 .403 20.25 198 174 March, 1919 128 43 .414 17.76 203 153 78 PAPER MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY {continued) : SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I9I4, MARCH, I919 (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 7. Finishers and Cuttermen—Timeworkers: Males — 29 Estab. One Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers in: Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly earnings Weekly earnings A B c 1 D E F Sept., 1914 423 55.5 $ .227 $12.65 100 100 Sept., 1915 451 55 .216 11.90 95 94 Sept., 1916 526 53.3 .271 14.40 119 114 Sept., 1917 471 52.8 .330 17.40 145 137 Sept., 1918 496 53.3 .407 21.65 179 171 March, 1919 464 50.8 .420 21.28 185 168 TABLES. Miscellaneous Labor — Timeworkers: Males — 15 Establishments Sept., 19141 640 54.3 II .202 10.94 100 100 Sept., 1915 1 773 55.5 II .204 11.39 1 101 104 Sept., 19161 775 52.3 II .253 13.21 125 121 Sept., 1917 1 792 52.3 II .315 16.43 156 150 Sept., 1918 1 838 51.3 II .465 23.88 1 230 218 March, 1919 1 826 50.5 II .406 20.45 1 201 187 TABLE 9. Rag-Room — Timeworkers: Females — 10 Establishments Sept., 1914 1 161 48.5 1 .131 6.3.5 1 lOU 100 Sept., 1915 1 137 40 .141 5.05 1 108 89 Sept., 19161 166 49.3 .194 9.00 148 150 Sept., 1917 1 166 46.8 1 .195 9.13 149 144 Sept., 1918 1 153 49 1 .2/4 13.40 209 211 March, 1919 1 170 42 1 .270 11.38 1 206 179 TABLE 10. Rag-Room — Pieceworkers: Females — 5 Establishments Sept., 1914 98 48.8 .142 6.93 100 100 Sept., 1915 132 45.5 1 .158 7.31 111 105 Sept., 1916 129 47 .189 8.88 133 128 Sept., 1917 1 121 43.5 .244 10.62 1 172 153 Sept., 1918 116 44.8 .318 14.22 224 205 March, 1919 127 37.3 1 .257 9.57 181 138 TABLE 11. Finishers and Cuttermen — Timeworkers: Females — 9 Estab. Sept., 1914 186 51.5 1 .142 7.29 100 100 Sept., 1915 175 58.3 .154 8.98 109 123 Sept., 1916 194 48.8 .176 8.57 124 118 Sept., 1917 194 46.5 .223 10.38 157 142 Sept., 1918 215 49 .271 13.31 1 191 183 March, 1919 | 203 38.5 1 .276 10.65 1 195 146 79 ADDITIONAL DATA In addition to the data received from 32 identical establishments for the entire 43^-year period, the statisti- cal basis for the periods 1918 and 1919 is enlarged through the receipt of figures from three other establishments which were unable to supply data for the whole period. A comparison of wages in September, 1918, and March,, 1919, including these additional data, is made in Tables 12 to 22. The incorporation of these additional data with those from the 32 establishments submitting complete reports produced only slight changes in averages of earnings and of hours worked in the two periods. 80 SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I918, MARCH, I9I9 (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 12. Total Payroll Data: Males — 35 Establishments One week in: Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly Weekly earnings earnings A B C D E F Sept., 1918 1 12,730 55.8 % .446 $24.84 100 100 March, 1919 1 12,120 48.5 1 .453 21.96 102 88 TABLE 13. Total Payroll Data: Females — 18 Establishments Sept., 1918 I 2,326 49 .296 I 14.48 100 I 100 March, 1919 | 1,568 38 .302 11.49 I 102 79 TABLE 14. Rag-Room — Timeworkers: Males — 12 Establishments Sept., 1918 I 234 | 50.8 .400 20.67 I 100 I 100 March, 1919 | 233 44.5 .403 I 17.92 I 101 87 TABLE 15. Beatermen — Timeworkers: Males - 34 Establishments Sept., 1918 I 1,167 | 49 .436 21.37 I 100 I 100 March, 1919 | 1,044 | 43.5 .446 I 19.43 I 102 91 TABLE 16. Finishers and Cuttermen — Timeworkers Males — 31 Estab. Sept., 1918 I 617 | 53 .403 21.41 I 100 I 100 March, 1919 I 548 | 48.8 .417 20.32 I 103 I 95 TABLE 17. Machine Tenders — Timeworkers: Males — 34 Establishments Sept., 1918 I 1,580 | 48.8 .542 I 26.41 I 100 100 March, 1919 I I 45.8 .521 I 23.84 I 96 I 90 TABLE 18. Miscellaneous Labor — Timeworkers: Males — 17 Estab Sept., 1918 I 50.8 .428 21.66 100 I 100 March, 1919 | 1,767 | 47 .445 I 20.91 I 104 I 97 TABLE 19. Calender Hands — Timeworkers: Males — 13 Establishments Sept., 1918 I 195 50.1 .406 20.32 100 I 100 March, 1919 | 225 40.9 .429 I 17.51 I 106 I 86 TABLE 20. Rag -Room — Timeworkers: Females — 11 Establishments Sept., 1918 1 367 | 49.5 .277 13.72 I 100 I 100 March, 1919 | 379 | 36.5 .280 I 10.25 101 75 TABLE 21. Rag-Room — Pieceworkers: Females - 5 Establishments Sept., 1918 I 116 I 44.8 .318 I 14.22 100 I 100 March, 1919 | 127 37.2 .257 I 9.57 81 67 TABLE 22. Finishers, Cuttermen — Timeworkers : Females — 10 Estab Sept., 1918 1 233 | .264 12.89 I 100 I 100 March, 1919 | 211 38.5 .272 I 10.48 II 103 I 81 81 sdsannN x30ni N « N - - - ■- - - — 1 / V i A ■ X i V •1 J / 1 J A \ *\ \ N \ \ \ \ •■ s \ \ \ ',^ \ \ \ \ \ **. V \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ W 1 \ V'X^ 1- » \ '^ \ \ (0 M 5^ \ IVII3 no ^ V ^ z s ^ \\ 1^ a is 1 \\ TURING NUMBERS rOTAL PAYRO S°> in -iin J S 1 z zz Z J \ 1 ANUFAC INDEX GS BASEO ON ' EARNI EARN EARN EARN NDUSTRIi \ //7/j are fo and fir HOURLY HOURLY WEEKLY WEEKLY NKTIONAL 1 1 1 ' 2 1 S- I ■ 1 K 1" P: ^ c3 U b. 0. a < . , , Q. in m 01 oi (0 10 suaarinN xaoNi 82 UnOH tl3d SXN33 H#|l.tlt1Mmt TTTF lUIJIIIIUIIIILBH ■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■ ^^ ^H ■■■■■■I >■ ■■■■■■i ■■■■■■■■ NUFACTURING INDUSTR :e absolute hourly earnings tlALE AND FEMALE WORKERS ON TOTAL PAYROLL AVERAGES to third wee/t of ^ep/eml>er /9/4-/9/8 nd fi'rj/ ivee/r of /i^an:/i /9/9 URLY EARNINGS - MALES 1 S 1 -1 o iMMiiiii ^ 1 m S i " 1! Ill g ■■■■■■■ ll^sl ' m iniiniiiiin i HI PAPER 1 1 . l^iggig^g ■■■■■■■i CD 0) (0 01 5 0) UnOH U3d S1N33 83 X33M tl3d S)IV~l~IOr a n l< 0=; CQ o s ►5 I ^^^^H ^^^^ UUiUUM T|||[|||||i|l||l|T[T ■miiiiHii miiiiiiiiM >- 4l-U[UH|iHIIIM MANUFACTURING INDUSTR /ERAGE ABSOLUTE WEEKLY EARNINGS OF MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS 9ASED ON TOTAL PAYROLL AVERAGES tvfer to third week of September I9I4-I9IB and first week of March 1919 B O u -1 E s i i i 1! (0 -1 Ir CO in (9 19 z z z z S5 U bl ^^ Ul 111 111 bl ^^^ ^^B tmi < 111 t 1 ■ s U) 0) 5 0) )I33M U3ci SUVniOD 84 VIII RUBBER MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY Wage data applying to the rubber industry for the period September, 1914, to March, 1919, were obtained from eight identical establishments, located in the States of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Ohio, and employing 9,612 male workers in 1914, 16,722 in 1918, and 21,918 in 1919. Six of these establishments furnished data for the female workers employed, numbering 1,819 in 1914, 3,501 in 1918, and 3,431 in 1919. For males (Table 1) the statistics show an increase of 74% in the number employed in 1918, and of 128% in 1919, compared with 1914 totals. The number of females employed in 1918 and 1919 was 93% and 89% greater, respectively, than in 1914. Data for the years 1918 and 1919 only were received from three additional establishments located one each in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Ohio. These figures were added to those of the eight establishments reporting for the entire period, thus increasing the total number of employees for 1918 to 17,559 men and 3,879 women. In March, 1919, the number of men had still further increased to 22,674, while the number of women had decreased to 3,796. Hourly Earnings September, 1914, to September, 1918 Average hourly earnings of male workers in eight identical establishments, based on total payroll data (Table 1), increased 100% between September, 1914, and September, 1918. These averages were 28.8 cents per hour in 1914 and 57.5 cents in 1918. Total payroll figures for female workers in six establishments (Table 2) show an increase of only 42% during the period, the average hourly earnings being 17.4 cents in 1914 and 24.7 cents in 1918. Earnings data in sufficient quantity to warrant tabula- tion by occupation were received for only three groups. Tables 3, 4 and 5 contain averages for male workers in calendering, making (footwear), and miscellaneous un- 85 skilled labor, the total number of workers in these groups representing less than 12% of the number covered by the total payroll figures. For calender hands the in- crease during the period was 67%, against 89% for each of the other two groups. The hourly averages in 1914 were 22.5 cents for calender hands, 19.1 cents for makers, and 20.5 cents for miscellaneous unskilled labor. In 1918 these averages were 373/^ cents, 36.1 cents, and 38.8 cents per hour, respectively. Hourly Earnings September, 1918, to March, 1919 Hourly earnings of both male and female workers (Tables 1 and 2) showed substantial increases in 1919 over the 1918 averages. For men the increase was about 6H%) while the earnings of women increased 18% during the period. Actual earnings of males, based on total payroll data, advanced from 57.5 cents to 61.2 cents per hour, those of females from 24.7 cents to 29.2 cents per hour. Earnings of male workers in the three groups tabulated in Tables 3, 4 and 5 increased 9%, 10% and 5J^%, respectively. Weekly Earnings September, 1914, to September, 1918 The average number of hours worked per week by the male workers as a group (Table 1) remained fairly con- stant for the period 1914 to 1918, and as a result the percentage increases in weekly earnings very nearly coincide with those in hourly earnings. The weekly averages advanced from $14.00 in 1914 to 128.60 in 1918, an increase of 104%. Average hours worked per week were 48.8 in 1914 and 49.6 in 1918. Considerable variations in average hours worked, accompanied by corresponding differences in percentage increases in hourly and weekly earnings, were noted in the figures for the three occupations tabulated. Calender hands (Table 3), for example, averaged 49 hours in 1914 and 66 hours in 1918, and increases in hourly and weekly earnings were 67% and 125%, respectively. In the making department (Table 4) average hours were more nearly constant in the two periods, — 54.8 in 1914 and 53.6 in 1918, — and the increases in hourly and weekly earnings correspondingly similar, 89% and 85%, respec- tively. Miscellaneous unskilled labor (Table 5) averaged 86 58.2 hours in 1914 and 60.2 hours in 1918, and the in- crease was proportionately higher for weekly than for hourly earnings. Weekly earnings of female workers, based on total pay- roll data, increased from 19.25 in 1914 to $12.94 in 1918, an advance of 40% as compared with 42% in hourly earnings. Average hours in 1918 were only slightly less than those of 1914. Weekly Earnings September, 1918, to March, 1919 Average weekly earnings of all male workers combined, in eight establishments (Table 1), were $29.35 in March, 1919, against $28.60 in September, 1918, an increase of 23^% for this period and of 110% for the 4^/2 years covered by the investigation. In calendering (Table 3), weekly earnings in March, 1919, were $23.50 against $24.80 in September, 1918; this represents an increase for the 4l}/2 years of 114%. For workers in making (Table 4) and - on miscellaneous unskilled work (Table 5) weekly earnings for the 1919 period showed additional increases in comparison with 1918 averages, the increases for the 43^ years for the two groups being 112% and 101%, respectively. Weekly earnings of women, on account of larger hourly earnings, advanced from $12.94 in 1918 to $14.90 in 1919, representing an increase of 15% for that period and of 61% for the 43^ years covered by the study. The latter gain is slightly smaller than the increase in hourly earnings for the period, due to the smaller number of hours worked in March, 1919, than in September, 1914. Charts Chart 22 shows the relative changes occurring in hourly and weekly earnings of male and female workers, the curves being constructed from index numbers of earnings derived from total payroll averages. The curves indicate clearly that the earnings of men increased considerably more than those of women during the period, and also that hourly and weekly earnings of each increased at nearly the same rate. Chart 23 is a bar diagram upon which the absolute hourly earnings of men and women, likewise based on total payroll averages, are presented. Chart 24 is similar to Chart 23, except that the bars represent average weekly earnings. 87 RUBBER MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY: SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I9I4, MARCH, 1 91 9 (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 1. Total Payroll Data: Males — 8 Establishments One week in: Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly earnings Weekly earnings A B c D E F Sept., 1914 9,612 48.8 $ .288 $14.00 100 100 Sept., 1915 12,701 48.3 .310 14.95 108 107 Sept., 1916 15,863 48.7 .382 18.60 133 133 Sept., 1917 19,225 48.9 .466 22.80 162 163 Sept., 1918 16,722 49.6 .575 28.60 200 204 March, 1919 21,918 48.0 .612 29.35 212 210 TABLE 2. Total Payroll Data : Females — 6 Establishments Sept., 1914 1,819 53.2 .174 9.25 100 100 Sept., 1915 1,992 54.1 .189 10.20 109 110 Sept., 1916 2,479 51.6 .208 10.76 120 117 Sept., 1917 3,397 51.7 .228 11.80 131 128 Sept., 1918 3,501 52.2 .247 12.94 142 140 March, 1919 3,431 51.1 .292 14.90 168 161 TABLE 3. Calendering — • Timeworkers : Males — 7 Establishments Sept., 19141 325 49.0 .225 I 11.00 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 1 391 55.6 .216 I 12.04 I 109 Sept., 19161 424 62.4 .242 I 15.12 108 138 Sept., 1917 1 454 63.0 18.12 128 I 165 Sept., 1918 1 421 66.0 .375 I 24.80 167 225 March, 1919 I 439 57.5 .409 I 23.50 182 I 214 TABLE 4. Making — Timeworkers: Males — 6 Establishments Sept., 1914 373 54.8 .191 10.45 1 100 100 Sept., 1915 370 51.8 .200 10.35 1 105 93 Sept., 1916 611 52.0 .227 11,81 119 113 Sept., 1917 788 51.6 .300 15.50 157 148 Sept., 1918 767 53.6 .361 19.35 189 185 March, 1919 569 55.8 .398 22.20 208 212 TABLE 5. Miscellaneous Unskilled Labor — Tim.eworkers : Males — 6 Estab. Sept., 1914 362 58.2 .205 11.92 100 100 Sept., 1915 467 62.2 .216 13.45 105 113 Sept., 1916 516 58.0 .240 13.95 117 117 Sept., 1917 731 58.8 .293 17.22 143 145 Sept., 1918 691 60.2 .388 23.36 189 196 March, 1919 888 58.7 .409 23.98 200 201 ADDITIONAL DATA The addition of data from three establishments em- ploying a total of 837 male and 378 female workers in 1918 and of 756 male and 365 female workers in 1919, as noted in the tables following, produced almost no effect in the averages for those years when combined with the figures for the eight establishments reporting for the entire 43/^-year period. Average hourly earnings, based on total payroll data for males, were 56.8 cents in 1918 for the 11 establishments against 57.5 cents for the eight establishments. Averages for 1919 (Tables 1 and 6) were 60.7 cents per hour in the 11, and 61.2 cents in the eight establishments. Changes resulting from the addition of data for the three establishments in the case of female workers were equally unimportant. TABLE 5. Total Payroll Data: Males — 11 Establishments One week in: Total number workers Average number iirs. per week Actual earnings Index numbers Av. hourly Av. weekly Hourly 1 Weekly earnings | earnings A B 1 c D E 1 F Sept., 1918 17,559 50.0 $ .568 $28.40 100 1 100 March, 1919 22,674 48.6 1 .607 29.51 1 107 1 104 TABLE 7. Total Payroll Data: Females — 9 Establishments Sept., 1918 I 3,879 52.4 .248 12.98 100 100 March, 1919 | 3,796 | 51.2 .288 I 14.79 116 I 114 TABLES. Calendering — Timeworkers: Males — 10 Establishments Sept., 1918 1 461 | 65.0 .376 24.40 100 I 100 March, 1919 | 475 | 58.0 .409 I 23.71 109 I 97 TABLE 9. Making — Timeworkers: Males — 7 Establishments Sept., 1918 1 932 | 52.7 .359 I 18.90 100 I 100 March, 1919 1 691 | 57.2 .386 I 22.10 108 I 117 TABLE 10. Misc. Unskilled Labor— Timeworkers : Males— 8 Establishments Sept., 19181 877 I 58.7 .383 I 22.50 100 100 March, 1919 1,061 I 58.0 .404 I 23.42 106 I 104 sHaannN x30ni SU3QINnN XSONr iinOH ll3d S1N33 B in » n N - i I "^ o ■^ ^ _m||iii|||n|ii#t iiJJimi.iiiiiiiiiT IIIIIIIIIJMllllg V ■ ■i^^B ^ ■■ ^^^M ^^■■■B MBHBH ^ '■O =< ~a" 1 ^ ■Ji.UJJ.I-J.1 1 1 1 1 U 1.1 M U ] j L 1 1 T ri 1 1 1 1 1 1 ( :3 ^^^^ ^_ ^^ ^^^^^_ ^^" ^ 1 '^ i^ .^ 5 I ! o ( ' "§ 5 , 1 ^ -^^^j4+)-Hl^^^ ■ ■3 HIH^^HB ■■■IBI ■■■■■i s t-i a a ^ •tSi 1 >• 1 j 1- if "S i.J 1 13 igffimja±i4>aj# u ^^" • zi s| — -C0C9 $ *0!< ^0> m o CD5gig|5$ 111 IO_l 1 Iff 1 1 u B - 1 i ■ ^^^ ^*™ ^■" 111 ^ z z <.< uu a z 5i oitt: 3 3 OO xz Z o z ^^^w^^^ ^m^M^iiimia ^^^^^ ^^^^^^^H ^^^^^^■^■1 ■ ■ ID 01 3 K m n o oi m 0) in 01 5 0) « n UnOH tiad S1N33 91 X33M tl3ci SdVl-lOa ^""" UUWiiii JHiMi ^^^^B ^^^^=B • ■dUili iilliiii ■i^^H > ■■■■■■■■ MMMMili 1- (0 MANUFACTURING INDL AVERAGE ABSOLUTE WEEKLY EARNINGS OF MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS BASED ON TOTAL PAYROLL AVERAGES s refer to third neeli of ^epteml>er /9M-I9I3 and fir^t nee/c of March 1919 WEEKLY EARNINGS- MALES " 1 " 1 Ul a (9 " It id s iS 1 hi t a U m m ^^ > IM mmiiii o a 0) u 10 Si 2 a xaaiK d3d sdvnioa IX CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY Wage data for the chemical manufacturing industry, covering the period from September, 1914, to March, 1919, were obtained from 12 identical establishments located in the States of New York, New Jersey, Pennsyl- vania, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan and Alabama, and em- ploying 3,551 male workers in 1914, 6,946 in 1918, and 5,942 in 1919. The increase in employment of male workers in these establishments between 1914 and 1918 represents an addition of 95%. For the entire period, 1914 to 1919, because of a dechne of 143^% in the num- ber of workers employed in 1919, the increase was only 67%. Additional data applying only to 1918 and 1919 were received from four other establishments, located in New York, New Jersey and West Virginia, employing 4,023 and 1,591 males, respectively, in those years. The com- bination of these data with those received from the 12 establishments reporting for the entire period increased the number of workers represented in this study to 10,969 in 1918 and to 7,533 in 1919. Very few female workers were employed in the reporting establishments, and consequently no statistics applying to women workers were compiled. Hourly Earnings September, 1914, to September, 1918 Average hourly earnings of all male workers collectively in 12 establishments (Table 1) advanced from 23.2 cents to 44.5 cents between 1914 and 1918, an increase of 92%. The data applying to this industry did not permit a division of the workers into occupational groups; the only distinction found practicable was that between skilled and unskilled workers. For skilled workers (Table 2) average hourly earnings increased from 30 cents to 52.6 cents in this period, an advance of 75%. Unskilled workers (Table 3) showed an advance of 94%, 93 hourly earnings increasing from 21 cents in 1914 to 40.8 cents in 1918. Hourly Earnings September, 1918, to March, 1919 Hourly earnings in this period showed substantial in- creases above the September, 1918, averages. The average for the total payroll rose from 44.5 cents in September, 1918, to 49 cents in March, 1919, an increase of 10%. The average of 49 cents in 1919 represents an increase in hourly earnings for the entire period under review of 111%. For skilled workers, hourly earnings during the six months increased from 52.6 cents to 57.4 cents, an advance of 9%. The latter figure represents an increase for the period September, 1914, to March, 1919, of 91%. For unskilled workers a similar increase of 9% between September, 1918, and March, 1919, was also shown, actual earnings for this group advancing from 40.8 cents to 44.6 cents per hour. For the whole period, hourly earnings of unskilled workers increased 112%. Weekly Earnings September, 1914, to September, 1918 The average number of hours worked per week was greater in September, 1918, than in September, 1914, and consequently the percentage increases in weekly earn- ings exceed for the different groups those in hourly earn- ings. For the total number of workers on the payrolls (Table 1), the average hours worked per week rose from 55.5 to 60.1 and weekly earnings increased 109%, as com- pared with 92% in hourly earnings. The average hours per week of skilled workers were only slightly larger in 1918, and consequently a smaller divergence was noted, weekly earnings increasing 77% and hourly earnings 75%. In the unskilled class of workers a marked increase from 54.5 to 60.9 occurred in hours per week in this period and the increase in weekly earnings was also proportionately greater than in hourly earnings — 117% as compared with 94%. 94 Weekly Earnings September, 1918, to March, 1919 The decrease in number of workers employed in March, 1919, as compared with September, 1918, was accom- panied by a sharp reduction in the average hours worked per week. The effect of the reduction in time worked upon average weekly earnings, 60.1 hours to 53.5 hours in case of total payroll averages (Table 1), was too great to be offset by even the substantial increase in average hourly earnings, and consequently weekly earnings of the total number on the payrolls decreased from $26.80 to $26.20, a decline of 2%. The latter figure represents an increase in weekly earnings for the 43^-year period of 104% as compared with 111% in hourly earnings. For skilled workers the average hours worked de- creased between September, 1918, and March, 1919, from 58.2 to 52.5, and weekly earnings decreased from $30.60 to 130.10. Weekly earnings of unskilled workers decreased in the same period from $24.85 to '$24.20, a substantial increase in hourly earnings for the period being offset by a sharp reduction in average hours worked. The percentage increases of skilled and unskilled workers for the 4J/^-year period were 74% and 112%, respectively. Charts Chart 25 was constructed from index numbers of hourly and weekly earnings in Table 1, and shows graphically how earnings increased from year to year. Chart 26 is a bar diagram representing averages of actual hourly earnings. Chart 27 is also a bar diagram representing the absolute average weekly earnings in the different years. 95 CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY: SUMMARIES OF PAYROLL- AVERAGES FOR ALL MALE WORKERS AND FOR SPECIFIED GROUPS, SEPTEMBER, I9I4, MARCH, I9I9 (National Industrial Conference Board) TABLE 1. Total Payroll Data: Males — 12 Establishments One Total number workers Average number hrs. per week Actual earnings \ Index numbers in: A\ . hourly Av. weekly Hourly earnings Weekly earnings A B c D 1 E F Sept., 1914 3,551 55.5 $ .232 S12.85 1 100 100 Sept., 1915 3,865 56.0 .237 13.26 1 102 103 Sept., 1916 4,724 55.8 .289 16.10 125 125 Sept., 1917 6,700 57.1 .359 20.50 155 160 Sept., 1918 6,946 60.1 .445 26.80 192 209 March, 1919 5,942 58.5 .490 26.20 , 211 204 TABLE 2. Skilled Workers — Timeworkers : Males — 10 Establishments Sept., 1914 1 979 I 57.8 .300 I 17.33 100 I 100 Sept., 1915 1 1,163 58.2 ■290 I 16.90 97 Sept., 19161 1,492 | 58.0 .360 i 20.89 120 I 121 Sept., 1917 I 2,186 54.6 .411 I 22.40 137 129 Sept., 1918 I 2,371 58.2 .526 I 30.60 175 177 March, 1919 I 1,949 | 52.5 .574 I 30.10 191 I 174 TABLES. Unskilled Workers — Timeworkers: Males — 12 Estab. Sept., 19141 2,519 | 54.5 .210 11.44 100 I 100 Sept., 19151 2,653 | 54.9 .211 11.59 101 I 102 Sept., 19161 3,177 | 54.6 .252 I 13.77 120 I 121 Sept., 1917 1 4,676 | 58.5 || .327 | 19.14 156 I 167 Sept., 19181 4,769 | 60.9 .408 I 24.85 194 I 217 March, 1919 | 3,862 | 54.2 .446 I 24.20 212 I 212 ADDITIONAL DATA The addition of data from four establishments furnishing figures for 1918 and 1919 only, as shown by the following tables, had no appreciable effect on the averages for those years. The most important change was that from 44.5 cents to 46.7 cents in the average hourly earnings of male workers as a whole. (See Tables 1 and 4.) TABLE 4. Total Payroll Data: Males — 16 Establishments Sept., 1918 1 10,969 | 60.4 .467 I 28.21 I 100 I 100 March, 1919 I 7,533 | 54.4 .490 I 26.62 I 105 I 94 TABLES. Skilled Workers— Timeworkers: Males— 12 Establishments Sept., 1918 1 2,634 | 59.0 .526 31.10 I 100 I 100 March, 1919 | 2,181 | 53.8 .568 30.58 108 I TABLE 6. Unskilled Workers — ^Timeworkers: Males — 14 Establishments Sept., 1918 1 4,979 | 61.4 .409 I 25.10 100 100 March, 1919 | 4,069 | 54.8 .445 I 24.40 I 109 I 97 96 BuaaiNnN xaoNi M — a a a Is CO ID ■* PI N _ a N M N > \ ■; \ "n^ V "n « \ 'n. \ N. ' \ V \ \ \ \ \ «. ■ >■ "> \\ D£ *v\ 1- ■ \ ^ „ 3 IS 5 N k Q § ^ \ ^ 111 St \ " - ^. ^ s. ■^ -1 S?i 1 ^^ o §^ III 10 5 \ ^ IE >^ 111 lU S 3g"- >^| 2 2 1 \ \ \ \ Si 1* ii i gii » ii 1 J za ^a HI w g \ i 1 1 ^ g ; X s g z § ^ J i ^ • < 5 1 1 u n: ^ j 2 ° 1 1 lU u CO (D (0 n 10 01 0) Sd3SiNnN X3aNI UnOH d3d 6XN33 o o o ■V m N * > m MANUFACTURING INDU RAGE ABSOLUTE HOURLY EARNINGS OF MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS SED ON TOTAL PAYROLL AVERAGES fef fo third wee/< of Septem/>er /9/4-l9ld and first wee/r of Marc/i /9/9 HOURLY EARNINGS- MAL£S \ i u a: in 1 i. i z f"l u UJ X u 'M ■ n U) n 5 01 dnOH d3d S1N33 X33M U3d SdVllOa n N « - - >- K 1- (0 a s MANUFACTURING II RAGE ABSOLUTE WEEKLY EARNINGS OF MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS SED ON TOTAL PAYROLL AVERAGES fer to third week ofjepfemter 1914-/9) and f/rjt nreek of March /9/9 WEEKLY EARNINGS-MALES [ i i 1 , U < 8! CHEMIC o n o m ID u m U) n 5 0) N — >I33M ti3d sdvinoa 99 X WAGES AND COST OF LIVING The wage increases discussed in detail in the foregoing chapters may now be briefly considered in connection with corresponding changes in living costs. As has been pointed out, it is beyond the scope of this study to attempt a discussion of the adequacy or inadequacy of wages prevailing in any period with respect to the maintenance of definite standards of living. Such comparisons as may be made must therefore be confined to relative changes, and Charts 28, 29, 30, and 31 have accordingly been prepared on this basis. All curves presented are useful only in showing the extent to which the relation between wages and living costs existing in 1914 was maintained or altered during the war period. The cost of living curve on each chart is constructed from data already published in a recent report of the Board on this subject^ and represents changes occurring in the aggregate cost of the main items of a representative wage-earner's budget, namely, food, shelter, clothing, fuel, heat and light, and sundries. These items have been weighted in accordance with the proportion of wage- earner's income normally expended for each group of items. The wages curves presented on these charts are repro- ductions of those already charted in previous chapters and refer to changes in earnings of all male and all female workers collectively, in the respective iiidustries covered by the investigation. As explained in the introductory chapter, averages of weekly earnings should in general more accurately reflect the income condition of the wage- earner, and should, therefore, be more suitable than average hourly earnings for making comparisons with changes in the cost of living. Chart 28 shows that for the 43/^-year period ending in March, 1919, the percentage increases in average weekly earnings for male workers in the specified industries were in each case greater than the increase in the cost of living. Thus, whereas the increase in living costs up to that 'National Industrial Conference Board Research Report No. 17, p. 29. 100 time was 61.3%, the percentage increase • in wages of male workers in the industries studied were as follows: metal manufacturing, 88%; cotton manufacturing, 71%; wool manufacturing, 62%; silk manufacturing, 93%; boot and shoe manufacturing, 76%; paper manufacturing, 76%; rubber manufacturing, 110%; chemical manu- facturing, 104%. Chart 29 gives similar comparisons in weekly earnings and changes in living costs for female workers in seven industries. Here the percentage increase in wages fre- quently was less than the percentage increase in the cost of living. Thus, the percentage increases in hourly earnings of women workers in the boot and shoe industry was 60%, in the paper and rubber industries, 64% and 61%, respectively, in the wool manufacturing industry 55%, and in the cotton manufacturing industry, 66%. The increases in weekly earnings of women in the metal and silk manufacturing industries, however, were con- siderably greater than the percentage increases in the cost of living. The question may fairly be raised as to how far the cost of living for wage-earners as a whole should be considered as applicable to women alone. This point should be borne in mind in studying the comparisons just presented. While weekly earnings afford a better indication of the extent to which increases in wages have kept pac^ with the cost of living from a worker's standpoint, on the other hand changes in hourly earnings afford a better indication of the extent to which the employer has adjusted wages to correspond with changes in living costs. For that reason Charts 30 and 31 have been added, which give similar comparisons of changes in living costs and changes in hourly earnings. These comparisons show that in the case of male workers the increases in hourly earnings, both for the 4-year period and for the 43^-year period, were in every instance greater than the increase in the cost of living up to March, 1919.^ In the case of women workers, however, the percentage increases in hourly earnings in a few instances were considerably less than 1 It should be noted in this connection, as shown in Research Report No. 14, that the increase in the cost of living up to November, 1918, was 65.9%, as compared with 61.3% in March, 1919. It may also be noted that the most recent study of the Board — that for July, 1919 — shows an increase of 73%. 101 the increase in the cost of Hving. On the other hand, there were several instances, in the case of hourly earnings of both men and women, where the percentage increases were far above the percentage increase in the cost of living. It may be noted, further, that the charts show, in con- trast with the course of weekly earnings, that hourly earnings continued to increase between September, 1918, and March, 1919, in practically every case. The decreases in weekly earnings, as pointed out in the introductory chapter, were largely due to the reduction in manufactur- ing activity following the signing of the armistice. These comparisons show, therefore, that wages in most of these industries advanced more, on a percentage basis, than the cost of living. This fact indicates that these workers were in general able to maintain and even improve their standard of living prevailing in 1914. In this connec- tion it should be noted that the largest percentage in- creases in earnings frequently were in those occupational groups in which absolute earnings in 1914 were relatively low. It should be emphasized, however, that wages and standards of living differed widely within the various industries both in 1914 and in 1919, and that comparisons- of relative values afford no means whereby the adequacy of wages or living standards prevailing in either period can be determined. Before a satisfactory conclusion could be reached on these important questions, comprehensive figures of yearly incomes of wage-earners, on the one hand, and a vast amount of information relating to the actual cost of living, on the other hand, should be as- sembled and carefully analyzed. In other words, these comparisons simply afford an approximate idea of the extent to which the relationship between wages and living costs existing at the opening of the war was maintained or changed during the succeeding; 4:}/2 years. 102 SUBOnnN X3QNI a a a a s to in ■4' • t \ / ^I f f>'" \ v \ \\ > V *, 7v>. <=b i-.V XV "% 'v \ \ V V xX ^^v. \ "% • \ ^ "1 N^ \V^ * X ■■•.\ ^ vN"""- ■A \« \\ \ A^^ 1 , ''^ . ^Vv \ "^ V 1 * _ >t ^\\ ^V^ \ ! \ a\\\ 1 \ "^ ^^Vvv\ IMBER8 LY EARNINGS T INDUSTRIES OST OF LIVING \'^\ ) V-mIx \ '-^ 'v\A^ ^ § 1 \ \ . 1 1 OF INDEX NU 'ERAGE WEEKI IN DIFFEREN ING TO THE C L ON AND SHOE R ER ICAL OF LIVING ng in I9M ta, RIAL CONFERENC ul 1 / 1 1 1 atn^^ts'Ssfc^ s / m^ Uln / ^ 1 COMPARI lANGES II LE WORK HOSE AP i 1 1 1 i ^ z OFCH OF MA WITHT cS [0 in SU38nnN X3aNI 103 01 5 0) sd3annN x3aNi 1 ■71 \ \ ..•••■■/ v/ \ • \ \ .. /■ ' / \ ■ ' \ — yV — / — \ \ x'' ^ / \ \ _,.'v ■-^ / \ K V \ 5 \ O^ \ % ^K \ \ N, ■■-.. ^ \ \. *«1 ^ "^ \ x,,-^ % •3 X,^ '■-..v. \^ "^ \ \ \ M \ %'■ ■'^\ V '■ \ ■^ \\\N ■^^ \ \ ^ \ \ ■■ \\ Vi \ \\ \ ' \ y \\ v\ \ rv^ \. "-\\ \\\ \ ' \ «\ ^-W \ .^i '■ ^ ; m. §!£> \ \-v \\^ \ \\\ ^ z"-" o - \ \. V\\- '\ s%°^ s 1 \ iv \\ \ IMBE LY E NT II OST \ \\\\ \ -V hJ \ 1. \ 11 \ ) nj ^ u u S a \ \ \1' / ^uo:,, III 19 < ^ " >^ 1 D -■ c; " \ \ 1 / / / / / SuXm in£o:u tS s / SzSfL \j E-KO. tn -1 ^ ' COMPAI OF CHANGES OF FEMALE WQ WITH THOSE A . . S 5 ; 1 1 ■S ° 1 1 i <3 ' 1 ■ i I i 1 1 ' m 0) 5 01 sij3BnnN xaoNi 104 stiaennN xaoNi sdSBnnN xaoNi 105 suaennN x30N[ EusannN xboni 106 XI GENERAL SUMMARY The broad results of this investigation have already been summarized in the introductory chapter of this report and the movement of wages in the specified indus- tries has been presented in detail in the respective chapters. In order to secure a more effective comparison of results between different industries and different occupations, a brief statement of some major features is presented in the following pages. Table 1 gives comparisons of percentage increases in average hourly earnings of male and female workers in the different industries. These percentages are based on averages for all workers collectively in these two classes. They are presented for the September, 1914, — September, 1918, and September, 1914, — March, 1919, periods, re- spectively, in order that the effects of changes occurring during the last six months of the period covered may be clearly indicated in their proper perspective. Instead of giving index numbers, as in the preceding discussion, merely the percentage increases are here shown. The index numbers can easily be arrived at by adding 100 in each case. These figures indicate that, with very few exceptions, hourly earnings of male workers increased well over 80% for the entire period covered. In the case of female workers the percentage increases were, on the average, lower than those for men, but in the four industries which included a majority of all women reported upon, they were frequently greater. It will be noted that, with the single exception of women in the wool manufacturing industry, these percentage increases in hourly earnings for the entire 4M-year period were greater than for the 4-year period ending in September, 1918, indicating thai during the six months, September, 1918, — March, 1919, hourly earnings of women had in practically every case continued to increase. Table 2 contains similar comparisons of percentage increases in weekly earnings in these industries. In the 107 case of male workers the percentage increases for the 4-year period 1914 to 1918 were, in a majority of cases, greater than those in hourly earnings, as given in Table 1. For the entire 4J^-year period, however, the percentage increases in weekly earnings were in all tut one instance less than the corresponding increases in hourly earnings. The reason for this is chiefly to be found in the smaller number of hours worked in March, 1919; to some extent it reflected the generally unsettled condition of industry at that time. In the case of female workers there was in general less difference between the percentage increases in weekly earnings and those in hourly earnings. As pointed out in the introduction, it should again be emphasized that weekly earnings are less reliable in show- ing wage trend than are hourly earnings, since the latter are less likely to be affected by such factors as labor turnover, absenteeism, and overtime. A summary comparison of the average hourly earnings of male and female workers, respectively, in the industries covered by this report, is presented in Charts 32 and 33. These charts are intended merely to give a bird's-eye view of the relationship of absolute earnings in the several industries, the detailed discussion of which has already been fully presented in the preceding chapters. A summary comparison of the average hourly earnings of male workers in all the different occupational groups for which data have been given in the preceding chapters is presented in Table 3. The groups have been arranged in the order of the magnitude of hourly earnings in the 1919 period. That is to say, the first group noted, namely, stitchers in the boot and shoe industry, showed a greater average hourly rate of earnings than any other group of workers. It is also interesting to note in this table that of the first twenty occupations listed, ten were in the metal manufacturing- industry and eight in the boot and shoe industry. These data are also shown graphically in Chart 34. Table 4 and Chart 35 have been similarly constructed to show comparisons of average hourly earnings of women in different occupational groups. A general feature of these comparisons, as brought out in preceding chapters, is that the earnings of females were 108 almost universally smaller than for niales in the same industries; this was true for each of the payroll periods included in the survey. The same relationship holds generally true of the specified occupational groups. In the case of weavers in the cotton and woolen industries the average hourly earnings of women differed only slightly from those of men. In these occupations, how- ever, the weekly earnings of men were, as a rule, decidedly larger than those of women. This is chiefly explained by the fact that men worked a greater number of hours. These comparisons do not permit of any conclusion as to how far the policy of "equal pay for equal work" was in force in the establishments reporting, since the tasks on which women were engaged may not have been the same as those of men. The figures simply give an approxi- mate idea of the actual amount of earnings of women and of men, respectively, in these industries. Comparative Earnings of Timeworkers and Piece- workers In the preceding chapters reference has frequently been made to the comparative earnings of timeworkers and pieceworkers in certain occupational groups for which comparable data were available. In order to epitomize the experience on this point, Table 5 has been prepared, giving the average hourly earnings in 1914, 1918 and 1919, and the percentage increases for the occupational groups for which such comparison is possible. This table shows that, in the main, percentage increases were greater for pieceworkers than for timeworkers. This was true for the period September, 1914, to Septem- ber, 1918, of all groups in the metal industries, all groups in the cotton industry, weavers in the wool and silk manufacturing industries, and cutters and lasters in the boot and shoe industry. For the entire period from September, 1914, to March, 1919, this condition was reversed in a few instances, but in the main the statement holds true that for male pieceworkers percentage increases in earnings were greater than in the case of timeworkers. In the case of female workers percentage increases in hourly earnings of pieceworkers in the period 1914 to 1918 were higher than those of timeworkers in six of the eight groups enumera^:ed. 109 While in a majority of instances the actual earnings of pieceworkers were also greater than those of timeworkers, the exceptions to this general rule were rather numerous. The caution should be repeated that definite conclusions as to the productivity of timework and piecework cannot be reached from these figures, since there may have been material differences in the precise nature of the tasks included under a given occupational group. No attempt was made to secure details on this point. Some types of timework do not permit of speeding up to the same extent as is possible in the case of piecework. In any event, whatever the reason, the figures show a substantially greater percentage increase for piecework than for time- work. It should be borne in mind, in studying the figures presented in this report, that they relate only to the in- dustries specified. 110 TABLE I : PERCENTAGE INCREASES IN AVERAGE kourly EARNINGS OF MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS FOR PERIODS SEPTEMBER, I914, TO SEPTEMBER, I918, AND SEPTEMBER, I9I4, TO MARCH, I919, IN SPECIFIED INDUSTRIES (.National Industrial Conference Board) -Male Workers Female Workers Sept. 1914 Sept. 1914 Sept. 1914 Sept. 1914 Industry to to Industry to to Sept. 1918 Mar. 1919 Sept. 1918 Mar. 1919 ■ Metal 71 74 Metal 107 111 Cotton 104 106 Cotton 100 105 Wool 97 88 Wool 97 96 Silk .... 88 97 Silk 83 100 Boots and Shoes 67 85 Boots and Shoes 55 60 Paper 88 89 Paper 66 68 Rubber 100 112 Rubber 42 68 Chemical 92 111 TABLE 2: PERCENTAGE INCREASES IN AVERAGE Weekly EARNINGS OF MALE AND FEMALE WORKERS FOR PERIODS SEPTEMBER, I914, TO SEPTEMBER, I918, AND SEPTEMBER, I9I4, TO MARCH, I919, IN SPECIFIED INDUSTRIES (National Industrial Conference Board) Male Workers Female Workers Industry Sept. 1914 to Sept. 1918 Sept. 1914 to Mar. 1919 Industry Sept. 1914 to Sept. 1918 Sept. 1914 to Mar. 1919 Metal 103 88 Metal 122 125 Cotton 106 71 Cotton 100 66 Wool 102 62 Wool 89 55 Silk . . 83 93 Silk 88 102 Boots and Shoes 64 76 Boots and Shoes 55 60 Paper Rubber 76 104 76 110 Paper Rubber 87 40 64 61 Chemical 109 104 111 TABLE 3 : COMPARISON OF AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS OF MALE WORKERS IN DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONS IN THE 1914, I918, I919 PERIODS (National Industrial Conference Board) Occupations Average Hourly Earnings September September March 1914 1918 1919 1. Stitchers (Boot and Shoe — Pw.) $ .365 $ .628 $ .687 2. Coremakers (Metal— Pw.) .304 .688 .651 3. Molders (Metal— Pw.) .309 .666 .642 4. Finishers (Boot and Shoe — Pw.) .330 .540 .638 5. Patternmakers (Metal— Tw.) .380 .603 .638 6. Bottomers (Boot and Shoe — Pw.) .340 .570 .626 7. Molders (Metal— Tw.) . . . . .363 .606 .621 8. Lasters (Boot and Shoe — Pw.) .315 .562 .612 9. Assemblers (Metal— Pw.) .... .307 .558 .603 10. Toolmakers (Metal— Tw.) .356 .557 .594 11. Blacksmiths (Metal — Tw.) .328 .557 .592 12. Upper Leather Cutters (Boot and Shoe— Pw.) .331 .559 .591 13. Machinists (Metal— Tw.) .324 .572 .587 14. Makers (Boot and Sho^Pw.) . ... .324 .555 .586 15. Machine Operators (Metal — Pw.) . . .325 .551 .577 16. Skilled Labor (Chemicals — Tw.) . .300 .526 .574 17. Sole Leather Cutters (Boot and Shoe — Pw.) . .271 .469 .552 18. Sorters (Wool— Pw.) ... : . .296 .586 .552 19. Coremakers (Metal — ^Tw.) 297 518 541 20. Upper Leather Cutters (Boot and Shoe— Tw.) .289 .499 .539 21. Assemblers (Metal— Tw.) .... .307 .502 .530 22. Machine Tenders (Paper— Tw.) . .309 .530' .520 23. Loom-fixers (Cotton — ^Tw.) . .262 .514 .505 24. Fitters (Boot and Shoe— Pw.) ..... .274 .482 .486 25. Unskilled Labor (Silk— Tw.) .... .251 .472 .477 26. Weavers (Wool— Tw.) . . .252 .521 .471 27. Weavers (Silk— Pw.) .216 .441 .467 28. Machine Operators (Metal— Tw.) .265 .454 .461 29. Weavers (Wool— Pw.) .225 .472 .457 30. Unskilled Labor (Chemicals— Tw.) . .210 .408 .446 31. Beatermen (Paper— Tw.) .232 .440 .440 32. Sole Leather Cutters (Boot and Shoe — ^Tw.) . .254 .405 .428 33. Unskilled Labor (Metal— Tw.) . . .216 .438 .426 34. Foundry Labor (Metal— Tw.) .218 .431 .425 35. Finishers and Cuttermen (Paper — Tw.) .227 .407 .420 36. Weavers (Silk— Tw.) .302 .433 .419 37. Reelers, Winders and Spoolers (Wool— Tw.) , . .201 .418 .417 38. Calendermen (Paper — Tw.) ... .... .204 .403 .414 39. Calendermen (Rubber— Tw.) .225 .375 .409 40. Unskilled Labor (Rubber— Tw.) . . .205 .388 .409 41. Unskilled Labor (Wool — Tw.) .201 .384 .406 42. Warpers (Silk — Tw.) .226 .375 .406 43. Miscellaneous Labor (Paper — ^Tw.) . . . .202 .465 .406 44. Spinners (Cotton — Pw.) . . . ' . . .190 .422 .401 45. Makers (Rubber— Tw.) .191 .361 .398 46. Spinners (Wool— Tw.) . . .182 .407 .394 47. Rag Sorters (Paper— Tw.) .206 .405 .392 48. Weavers (Cotton— Pw.) . . . . .198 .417 .389 112 TABLE 3 — {continued): comparison of average HOURLY EARNINGS OF MALE WORKERS IN DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONS IN THE I9I4, I918, I9I9 PERIODS (National Industrial Conference Board) Occupations Average Hourly Earnings Sept. 1914 Sept. 1918 March 1919 49. Weavers (Cotton— Tw.) ... 50. Finishers (Wool— Tw.) . . . . 51. Carders (Wool— Tw.) . 52. Finishers (Boot and Shoe— Tw.) 53. Carders (Cotton— Pw.) . 54. Lasters (Boot and Shoe — Tw.) . 55. Spoolers, Warpers, Twisters (Cotton — Tw.) 56. Dyers (Wool— Tw.) 57. Miscellaneous Labor (Boot and Shoe — Tw.) 58. Carders (Cotton— Tw.) . . 59. Unskilled Labor (Cotton— Tw.) 60. Openers and Pickers (Cotton — Tw.) 61. Spinners (Cotton — Tw.) 62. Spinners (Wool— Pw.) $ .186 .215 .177 .217 .187 .226 .176 .175 .215 .172 .177 .158 .166 .162 $ .377 .391 .376 .357 .437 .368 .349 .351 .317 .377 .340 .339 .339 .345 $ .389 .385 .384 .383 .380 .373 .361 .356 .352 .352 .351 .349 .343 .329 113 TABLE 4: COMPARISON OF AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS OF FEMALE WORKERS IN DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONS IN THE I9I4, I918, I919 PERIODS (National Industrial Conference Board) Average Hourly Earnings Occupations September September March 1914 '1918 1919 1. Finishers (Wool— Pw.) . . . S.215 $.421 $,442 2. Weavers (Wool— Pw.) .201 .392 ,418 3. Weavers (Silk— Pw.) .154 .322 ,353 4. Weavers (Cotton — Pw.) . .155 .364 ,352 5. Fitters (Boot and Shoe — Pw.) .195 .336 .350 6. Weavers (Cotton— Tw.) .190 .347 .342 7. Reelers, Winders, and Spoolers (Wool — Pw.) . .172 .314 ,331 8. Spinners (Cotton — Pw.) . . . .141 .306 ,323 9. Spinners (Wool— Pw.) .157 .320 ,315 10. Carders (Cotton— Pw.) . . ... .161 .303 .310 11. Spoolers, Warpers and Twisters (Cotton — Pw.) .150 .288 .302 12. Upper Leather Cutters (Boot and Shoe— Tw.) .173 .271 .296 13. Drawers (Wool— Tw.) .146 .286 .296 14. Warpers (Silk— Pw.) .146 .262 .294 15. Carders (Wool— Tw.) .137 . .296 .291 16. Spinners (Cotton — Tw.) 135 278 289 17. Reelers, Winders and Spoolers (Wool— Tw.) . .129 .277 .283 18. Spinners (Wool— Tw.) ,136 .295 .281 19. Finishers (Wool— Tw.) . .176 .274 .280 20. Finishers and Cuttermen (Paper — ^Tw.) . . . .142 .271 ,276 21. Fitters (Boot and Shoe— Tw.) .181 .233 ,272 22. Rag Sorters (Paper— Tw.) . . .131 ,274 ,270 23. Drawers (Cotton— Tw.) .139 ,276 ,269 24. Spoolers (Cotton— Tw.) .134 .233 ,268 25. Winders (Silk— Pw.) . . ... .129 ,229 ,268 26. Rag Sorters (Paper— Pw.) .142 ,318 ,257 27. Winders (Silk— Tw.) .154 ,230 ,248 28. Unskilled Laborers (Cotton— Tw.) ... .130 ,254 .237 29. Carders (Cotton— Tw.) .117 .218 .237 30. Quillers (Silk— Tw.) .112 ,200 .221 114 TABLE 5: COMPARISONS OF AVERAGE ACTUAL HOURLY EARNINGS AND OF PERCENTAGE CHANGES IN EARNINGS OF TIME AND PIECEWORKERS (National Industrial Conference Board) b Occupation Mai es ' Females Hourly Earnings Percentage Increases Hourly Earnings Percentage Increases ^ 1914 1918 1919 1914 to 1918 1914 to 1919 1914 1918 1919 1914 to 1918 1914 to 1919 M Coremakers ) Time I Piece .297 .304 .518 .688 ,541 .651 74 126 82 114 M Assemblers (Time 1 Piece .307 .307 .502 .558 .530 .603 64 81 73 96 M Mach. operators i Time ( Piece .265 .325 .454 .551 .461 .577 71 70 74 78 M Molders I Time 1 Piece .363 .309 .606 .666 .621 .642 67 115 71 108 C Spinning j Time 1 Piece .166 .190 .339 .422 .343 .401 105 122 107 HI .135 .141 .278 .306 .289 .323 107 117 114 129 C Carding ( Time 1 Piece .172 .187 .377 .437 .352 .380 119 134 105 103 .117 .161 .218 .303 .237 .310 86 88 103 93 c Weavers ( Time ) Piece .186 .198 .377 .417 .389 .389 103 111 109 97 .190 .155 .347 .364 .342 .352 83 135 80 127 w Spinning . / Time 1 Piece .182 .162 .407 .345 .394 .329 124 113 117 103 .136 .157 .295 .320 .281 .315 117 104 107 101 w Weaving . Time ' Piece .252 .225 .521 .472 .471 .457 107 110 87 103 s Weaving Time ■ Piece .302 .216 .433 .441 .419 .469 43 104 39 116 s Winding . . . J Time ( Piece .154 .129 .230 .229 .248 .268 49 78 61 108 B Upper leather cutting . ( Time I Piece .289 .331 .499 .559 .539 .591 73 69 87 78 B Sole leather . (Time \ Piece .254 .271 .405 .469 .428 .552 60 73 69 104 B Lasting . . . J Time I Piece .226 .315 .368 .562 .373 .612 63 78 65 94 B Finishing (Time 1 Piece .217 .330 .357 .540 .383 .638 65 64 77 93 B Fitting . . . Time ■ Piece .181 .195 .233 .336 .272 .350 29 72 50 80 W Reeling, Wind- ing, Spooling f Time t Piece ' .129 .172 .277 .314 .283 .331 115 83 119 92 w Finishing . . . (Time I Piece .176 .215 .274 .421 .280 .442 56 96 59 106 M — Metal; W— Woolen; C — Cotton; S — Silk; B — Boots and Shoes. anOH U3d S1N33 o a' a o 10 iij o z jO !f o •" 2 a o u " III ID ^ n N MnOH tl3d SXNa3 116 to u 01 a trnOH dad S1N33 (DUPS 1 Z_|U O ^ X > 1 2 < o a. 1 111 III X 1- !5 III 2 6161 Biei ZIBI 9161 9161 tr|6l BI6I 8161 ^lEI 91SI 9191 »ISI BI6I BI6I ZIBI 8161 SI6I »IBI 6161 8161 ^IBI 8IBI 9IEI 1^161 VnOH tl3d S1N33 117 Chart 34, National Industrial Conference Board, Research Report No. HO COMPARISON OF AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS OF MALE WORKERS IN DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONS IN THE 1314,1318 AND 1313 PERIODS (/9I3 ayeragea arrartfea in order of magni tude) 1914 ra 1918 ra ISIS NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE BOARD Averages derived ffom payrolls of the third weelt of SepiemtJer iSi-4 and 13 id and firjf tveelt ofivjarch 1919 CENTS PER HOUR 10 20 30 40 BO 80 70 1 STITCHERS Boot and Shoe Piecework 2 COREMAKERS Metal Piecework 3 M0LDER8 Mefal Piecework 4 FINISHERS Boot and ^hoe Piecework 5 PATTERNMAKERS Metal Time work 6 BOTTOMERS Boot and Shoe Piecework 7 MOLDERS Me tat Timework a LASTERS Boot and •Shoe Piecework 9 ASSEMBLERS Metal PfeceworK 1 TOOLMAKERS Meta/ Timework 1 1 BLACKSMITHS Metal Timework »ocowiwaoco(ioQQow>flMMa|iaaeig aflafl«Boafla sig^ii^'>ftji-WiH^^asai^ij»^ woww^wwowjowwcwow^^ I 2 UPPER LEATHER CUTTERS Boot and Jitoe Plmcework I 3 MACHINISTS Metal Timework I 4 MAKERS Boot and^hot. Piecework I 6 MACHINE OPERATORS Metal Piecework i t^Wsmi M'a'SEaj^.wi4a'g5a'iy#gs^^ '^^mmim i"'ggA^;arfeS'gg«ajia'^y^^^ mitSS?-9i!s^sm!mmmMm'mimiM^ Chart S4 — (continued) National Industrial Conference Board, Research Report No. SO AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS OF MALE WORKERS -CONTINUED 1914 leiB B8 1919 NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE BOARD CENTS PER HOUR 10 20 30 40 EO BG I 6 SKILLED LABOR Chemica/ Time work I 7 SOLE LEATHER CUTTERS Boot and ■Shoe Piac9work IS SORTERS Wool PieceiMork 19 COREMAKERS Metal Timenfork 20 UPPER LEATHER CUTTERS Boot and ■Shoe Timework 21 ASSEMBLERS Metal Timework 22 MACHINE TENDERS f^per- Timework 23 LOOM FIXERS Co tton Time wo rk 24 FITTERS Boot and ■Shoe Piecework 25 UNSKILLED LABOR ■Silk Timework 26 WEAVERS Wool Timework 27 WEAVERS .Silk Piecenorh 2B MACHINE OPERATORS Me tal Timework 29 WEAVERS Wool Piecework 30 UNSKILLED LABOR Chemical Timewor k 3 1 BEATERMEN Paper, Timework 32 SOLE LEATHER CUTTERS Baaf and Shoe Timework 119 Chart 34 (continued) National Industrial Conference Board, Research Report No. 20 AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS OF MALE WORKERS - CONTINUED ■ 1914 EH I9IB ffi I9IB NATIONAL mDUBTRIAL CONFERENCE BOARD CENTS PER HOUR O 10 20 30 40 60 80 70 3 3 UNSKILLED LABOR Meta/ Timemork 3 4 FOUNDRY LABOR Metal TimewofA 3G FINISHERS AND CUTTERMEN Paper Timework 3 6 WEAVERS Silk Timework 37 REELERS, WINDERS AND SPOOLERS Wool Timeivork 38 CALENDERMEN Papar Timework 39 CALENDERMEN Rubber Timework 40 UNSKILLED LABOR Rubber Time\york 41 UNSKILLED LABOR Wool Timework 42 WARPERS Silk Timewofk 43 MISCELLANEOUS LABOR Paper Time work 44 SPINNERS Cot ton Piecework 4B MAKERS ' /Rubber Tlrnework 4G SPINNERS Wool Timework i 47 RAB SORTERS Paper- Tim e wor k 4B WEAVERS Cotton Piecework 49 WEAVERS Cotton Timework 120 Chart S4 {continued) National Industrial Conference Board, Research Report No. 20 AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS OF MALE WORKERS -CONTINUED 1914 1918 BB ISI9 NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL CQNFERGNCE BOARO CENT9~PER HOUR 10 20 30 40 SO SO 70 SO FINISHERS IVool Timework S I CARDERS y/ool Timework 52 FINISHERS Boot and Shoe Timewofh 53 CSTDERS Cotton Piece wor It S4LASTERS Boot and Sho» Tim9work 55 SPOOLERS. WARPERS AND TIISTERS Cotton Timehfor/t 56 DYERS Wool Timework 57 MISCELLANEOUS LABOR Boot and ■Shoe Timework 5 8 CARDERS Co fton Tim e work 59 UNSKILLED LABOR Cotton Timework 6 OPENERS AND PICKERS Cotton Timework 6 I SPINNERS Cotton Timework 62 SPINNERS iYool Piecevmrk ^a^Chart 35, National Industrial Conference Board, Research Report No. W COMPARISON OF AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS OF FEMALE WORKERS IN DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONS IN THE 1314,1318 AND 1313 PERIODS (19/9 averogta arran^ea t/t arOer of magfiittiae) 1914 B 1318 BS 1913 NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE BOARD AiKraffes tieriKa ft'om payf'olls of Ifie rhl'rtt week of er 191-4 and I3ld ana ftrjt weeH of March 1919 CENTS PER HOUR 10 20 30 40 60 80 70 1 FINISHERS m>ai Piecetmr/t 2 WEAVERS Wool PiecetmrM 3 WEAVERS J//* Piecework 4 WEAVERS Cotton Piecework 5 FITTERS Boat and .Shoe Piecenork 6 WEAVERS Cotton rfmemi'H 7 REELERS,»(ll«]ERGl SPOOLERS Wool P/ecenork a SPINNERS Cotton Piee^mrM 9 SPINNERS jVool f^ecemr'k 10 CARDERS Col ton F^ec^tvork I I SPOOLERS, WARPERS AND TIISTERS Cotton PiecetvorA I 2 UPPER LEATHER CUTTERS Boot and -Shoe Tjmework I 3 DRAWERS Wool 14 WARPERS. 3ilk IB CARDERS Wool Timemrk PiecewH T/menrork 122 Chart 35 {continued) , National Industrial Conference Board, Research Report No. 20 AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS OF FEMALE WORKERS - CONTINUED 1914 ISie BS 1919 NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE BOARD CENT9 PER HOUR 10 20 30 40 60 80 70 I B SPINNERS Cotton Timework I 7 REELERS. WINDERS AND SPOOLERS Woc7/ Timewofk 18 SPINNERS Wool. IS FINISHERS Wool TimeWofk 20 FINISHERS AND CUTTERMEN Paper Timevorh 2 I FITTERS Boot and .Shoe T/'frieivo/'Jr 22 AAG SORTERS Paper '^im^worK 23 DRAWERS Cot ton Ttmeworfi 24 SPOOLERS Cotton Timeworti 25 WINDERS J/'M Piecework 2B RAG SORTERS Pap er Piecework 27 WINDERS ■3ilH Tt'meivork 2 8 UNSKILLED LABOR Col ton Timework 29 CARDERS Cotton Timework 30 QUILLERS Silk Timework APPENDIX In the following tables comparisons of some of the averages of earnings presented in the foregoing chapters have been made with figures assembled by other agencies. These comparisons have been made for the purpose of showing that, although the basis of experience represented in the Board's data for certain industries was relatively narrow, the averages do not differ greatly from those obtained by other investigators dealing with larger numbers of establishments and employees. The agencies supplying data most suitable for compari- son are the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the National Metal Trades Association, and the National Association of Cotton Manufacturers. The statistics obtained from these sources differ, however, in certain respects from those assembled in the Board's study. Those of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, for example, representing weekly per capita earnings, give figures for the combined earnings of male and female workers. The data prepared by the National Metal Trades Association represents a different period of the year in each case from that upon which the Board's figures were based. The averages derived from the data of the National Association of Cotton Manufacturers represent full-time earnings and they furthermore corre- spond to only three of the six periods represented in the Board's investigation. Table 1 shows a comparison of average weekly earnings in specified industries of men and women combined, as computed from the National Industrial Conference Board's data with similar figures published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. The comparison includes the cotton, wool, silk, boot and shoe, and paper manufacturing industries. The figures from the two sources probably agree as closely as could be reasonably expected, since averages of weekly earnings always reflect the influence of overtime, absenteeism, etc., and conse- quently depend upon the number of hours actually worked. It should be observed that the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics averages are in every case 124 based on substantially larger numbers of establishments and employees than are those of the Board. Table 2 is a comparison of the Board's averages of hourly earnings in certain occupational groups in metal manufacturing with similar data assembled by the National Metal Trades Association. The latter averages were based on returns in the early part of each year and this probably largely accounts for the fact that they are lower than the Board's corresponding figures in almost every instance up to 1918. This explanation is supported by the fact that the 1919 figures of the two sources based on averages of approximately the same time of year are in closer agreement than those of the earlier years. Table 3 is a comparison of average hourly earnings in certain occupational groups in cotton manufacturing as assembled by the National Association of Cotton Manufacturers with the Board's averages for these groups. While comparable data were available from this source for only three years, namely, 1914, 1915 and 1916, the figures so far as they go agree fairly well with the Board's averages for those years. Considering the very much larger number of establishments and employees represented in the figures of the National Association of Cotton Manufacturers, and the fact that the wages data refer to full-time earnings while those of the Board are averages of actual earnings, the closeness of the agreement is all the more noteworthy. 125 o -! S « N > O g » O CO lonal strial erence ard OOCOOSnO OlOlO t*t> OIC^ i-HfC ot^i-ii-i e^ oi>-o2 OlM-^OSs© ONOOsO Ot-H COb-00 ,is4i-a^ 1-1 t-1 i-t i-H irt T-H T-1 tH CQ T-I rH i-H T— 1 i-H i-( |i ^5d "z is| ocoo5^«3 2:3 "2 ;S «,t^ 0 OCOCDi-HOO oor-iinm oo.-oo'* t3 nil ooo»oo looooo looioom OOOOlfi ot>ioi2 O 00O5OS ©^ 1>T-I ,-1 (N« oioi-i(Nm ■*(NtD^ ^ OsOC^l> -^ 05{N »COvO OtHCOI^OO CO'ilCDOTH ■*O0T-lrt e©i-i i-H T-i ^ tHt-h (N iH 1— ) T— ) 1— 1 »-H »H rtrt^NM s N 2SJ OOOiOO OOOlOW •OflOOOOOO t-ioiom -OSi-l CO-^ 03(N I0 03t>. Oi-HNCOvO •H IN (N -* 00 O 2 tH i-H 1-H T-H (S COIOt-h^ «"Sr1^ e^ ^rH^ T— 1 T-H T— 1 1-H T-H T-t tH rH^^ ^.H^o-*i>in <1 T-t T-H T-t »H h. »-'0 So5i>ooK S o"o"i-i"o''»H »Ci rH ,-H T-l i-H ^ o a)00-*05->*i0^ CO-* t~l>00 J3 1^ »— < »— t T-I iH !» •d *'O'-l00.-i« is.s CDrtl'^OO cqj.S 0(N t^OOv >O-H00C<3« 00O5CO1NVO Oooococooo lOTtH^-vO -!)oiom »Ot-I TJH MO^ 1NCOTl^O^ In M i>'"oo i>"c »OW5 ■^ 10 10-*10^ «!■*•*■*« i-( (N i-l i-l ^H TjH •* •* «3 >e (N(NINr< i-H 111 ■2|§| lOlOlOlOlft ooooo N oo>n 1 ft co::j3 U5U5>OlO'^ tomcDi>t» ^rxmin t3 1 • ••::: :::: : ;: ::: : : : : ■ •■ • • CO § iCCOt^ xo^ iO5Oi>00ON lO CD t^ OOO^ mtDI>Q0O^ >H Ol OS OS OS ©^ rH r-l »-* .-1 P^ * OS 05 Oi 05 ^ 1-1 i-H l-H iH ^ oi a Oi oi 9^ r-t 1— t I— t I— ( »-H 03 Od O Oi 9^ T-l l-tl-H rt 126 03 00 03 ^ rH 1-H ^ "J ■m-S H_. c C g-o o t-H r^ ^o O-^ 05 00 o r>.cotN OIN-*^ OffilN-* •S s s a OC^ -^Ift Oi-H CC -«# Oi-H lom oiN'r> O tH lOlft r^^^,~i^^ 1^ ,-H 1— 1 iH I— 1 r-t I— 1 »-( 1— I 1— t T-t ^H T-l rH tH i-l Z e S "U s X H §1 Z 5 "Z ional etal ades elation OCX3CDO» OOSt^sO 0003 r> O(N00O 22'"5 ooi.-iin 00-l(Nlft 0.-H tH Ift O O 1-1 f3 0^1 T-l ^ -H rH i-H i-H ^ i-H 1— ( I— 1 »H r-l I— 1 1— 1 iH rH r-l 1— 1 ^^ V Oi lOCOOO (N CD^-Tf* COtOIN t »OOOI> fs 03^S3 O OiOfO O lO lO C* I^CO I>00 OOCD »OC^ giNCOrfl'* •i3 3.2 § ■5 -a SB ^^SsO -^■<^ lotf; CO-.^ lO W3 cOTh irjifi s ■ • ■ • -M Kg ^SS 1 s 09 d 2 5 a § f ■)-> o ^ § _2 1 H s u as S'-S C3 tJh -<*< Oi iC iO03I> o 00WO3^ g COCO CO Tj^ Nati Me Tra Assoc OT'*^'* CQ CC -.# ^ con INOOOO asb-ivH omeort T-H CO"-) O^ t^03CD>fi i-ICOOOO T-Ti-ri-Tfo 00-*^CO0O lO >OIOQO 1H lOi-l-*_l> oooToTm < CO^>00O^ CO t* ooo^ COI>00O^ toi>ooo^ 50 00 0- ^ ^ ,-1^ 1— ) T-f I— I iH l-t T-lT-H ^ 1-1 1-1 r-l rt .-( i-l ,-H W O) 03 03 9^ 03 05 05^ 03 03 03^ 03 03 03^ O3 03OJOV K T— 1 1— I i-H TiN i-H i-t rH »H 1— 1 T— I 1-1 1H 1— 1 1— 1 1— 1 »H .-1 1-1 i-H ^ 0) . 133 PS 5° .-( i-l ,-H W S O303OJOV S i-ii-ii-irt a 127 •^ r-l ^ p p5 <: Pi o W PH w ^ u H ?; u t3 Pi W ^ f^ 00 t^ t^ t.- tH Oi Oi C t-o CO TtH Ol CO COCO ^ 00 --H to >o o e "CO 10 1> "3 a — « fa oioqtNi . CO«5t> ^lO lO lO a e rS*0 O^ lO ''2 00 CO en TtHOO .-ic^co 5 lO lO lO V lO »o »o :oo-*o 00(N (N-*CO cjniO e S= ■ft o 00 CD ■* CD >OiO 00 t^ 00 'Ofl.OO t^ 00 lO O 00 c^ ■CO CO CO ■OfliO to »o D^ CO ^ CO CO ^ H to to to O^cooo to CD C5S t~-oco to to CD (Ncfco" CD CD to OCOI> CO COO OOCO Oi T-H O to CO CD r^ i-t I-H T CO 00 I-H to ooo O Oii^ tOT-H I-H t^ coo t^ "^"^ ^ oToTo" rHT-H-cH ■*-* 00 -* lOCD 1— I >-H rH 05 05 C5 '^ toco ^H 1— ( T— I Oi ^ Oi T^H to CO T-H I-H T-H ooo -*toco I-H 1-H T-H ooo O O 12S Publications of the National Industrial Conference Board 15 Beacon Street, Boston, Mass. Research Report No. 1. Workmen's Compensation Acts in the United States — The Legal Phase. April, 1917. Revised August, 1919. ReseiTch Report No. S. Analysis of British Wartime Reports on Hours OF Work as Related to Output and Fatigue. November, 1917. Research Report No. 3. Strikes in American Industry in Wartime. March, 1918. Research Report No. 4- Hours of Work as Related to Output and Health of Workers — Cotton Manufacturing. March, 1918. Research Report No. 5. The Canadian Industrial Disputes Investiga- tion Act. April, 1918. Research Report No. 6. Sickness Insurance or Sickness Prevention? May, 1918. Research Report No. 7. Hours of Work as Related to Output and Health of Workers — Boot and Shoe Industry. June, 1918. Research Report No. 8. Wartime Employment of Women in the Metal Trades. July, 1918. Research Report No. 9. Wartime Changes in the Cost of Living — July, 1914, to June, 1918. August, 1918. Research Report No. 10. Arbitration and Wage-Fixing in Australia . October, 1918. Research Report No. 11. The Eight-Hour Day Defined. December, 1918. Research Report No. 12. Hours of Work as Related to Output and Health of Workers — Wool Manufacturing. December, 1918. Research Report No. IS. Rest Periods for Industrial Workers. January, 1919. Research Report No. 14. Wartime Changes in the Cost of Living — July, 1914, TO November, 1918. February, 1919. Research Report No. IB. Problems of Industrial Readjustment in the United States. February, 1919. Research Report No. 16. Hours of Work as Related to Output and Health of Workers — Silk Manufacturing. March, 1919. Research Report No. 17. Wartime Changes in the Cost of Living — ^July, 1914, to March, 1919. May, 1919. Research Report No. 18. Hours of Work as Related to Output and Health OF Workers— Metal Manufacturing Industries. July, 1919. Research Report No. 19. Changes in the Cost of Living — ^July, 1914, to July, 1919. September, 1919. Research Report No. W. Wartime Changes in Wages — (September, 1914, — March, 1919). September, 1919. INDUSTRIAL NEWS SURVEY Important industrial news in concise form. Weekly. $2.00 per year. Cornell University Library HD 4975.N3 Wartime changes in wages, September, 191 3 1924 000 409 460