Women in the Printing Trades Part 16

Owing to the fact that it was impossible to get the complete lists through 1899 for many firms, and that the periods of slackness and full work were not the same in different places, it proved very difficult to handle the wage lists. At last the plan was adopted of getting complete lists of one busy week, one typical week, and one slack week in 1899, leaving the employers to choose the weeks, unless our investigators could make a complete record. In the following a.n.a.lysis we have endeavoured to bring out the salient features of the statistics of each firm separately, and we have then grouped together all the typical weeks, either chosen by the employer or selected by us from the series; and it is believed that this grouping gives an adequate idea of the wages at a time which the trade regards as ordinary.

The earnings of the 130 individual hands is a very valuable and, it may be, almost unique record. Many interesting facts are brought out by their study, and the records should have a place in sociological literature apart from their interest in the present connection.

It has been necessary to make a technical use of averages in collating and tabulating the material, and we offer the following explanations.

Where the word "average" is used without qualification, it is the ordinary arithmetic average, obtained by dividing the total by the number of payees. This is the best for general quant.i.tative measurements.

In most cases the median and quartiles and sometimes the dispersions have been calculated. They may be explained as follows. Suppose the wages of, say, sixty persons to be arranged in ascending order, _e.g._, 5_s._, 5_s._ 3_d._, 6_s._, 6_s._ 1_d._ ... 11_s._ 9_d._, 12_s._, 12_s._ 6_d._, then the wage _halfway_ up the list is the _median_ wage; thus, there are as many individuals above the median as below it. The wages halfway from the ends to the median (_i.e._, fifteenth and forty-fifth from bottom), are the _quartiles_, so that between the quartiles half the wages are grouped. Thus, if the median and quartiles in the above list were 7_s._ 6_d._, 10_s._ 6_d._, 12_s._ 6_d._, there would be fifteen earning less than 7_s._ 6_d._, fifteen more than 12_s._ 6_d._, thirty between 7_s._ 6_d._ and 12_s._ 6_d._, thirty below and thirty above 10_s._ 6_d._ For a single measurement of the grouping of the wages about their median, the distance between it and the quartiles is significant: in this example 3_s._ and 2_s._ are these distances. The more convenient way of stating this is to express half the distance between the quartiles (2_s._ 6_d._) as a fraction of their average 10_s._, which is generally very nearly the median. This fraction ( or 25) we call the _dispersion_, and it enables us to study the changing character of a group in a very simple and efficient manner.

I.--STATISTICAL VIEW OF THE VARIOUS FIRMS.

FIRM A.

_Information obtained._--Wages of thirty-six hands tabulated week by week through 1899.

Total amount paid in wages and total number employed each week, 1885-1899.

The whole wages sheet for one week in July and one week in November for each of these fifteen years.

A. is a firm employing from fifty to one hundred and ten women and girls as folders, st.i.tchers and sewers. The number employed has changed gradually; in 1885-7 there were about a hundred: from 1888 to 1894 the number continually diminished to sixty, and after a brief spurt in the autumn of 1894 to one hundred and fifteen and a rapid fall, has from 1895 to 1899 gradually risen from fifty to ninety.

Through the fifteen years which the statistics cover, 1885-1899, the _annual_ average (roughly calculated) has fluctuated within the narrow limits of 8_s._ 9_d._ and 10_s._ 6_d._; it was above 10_s._ in 1888, 1889, 1897, 1898, 1899; below 9_s._ in 1886 and 1894. This average includes the learners. But when examined more minutely it is seen that the fluctuations week by week and month by month are very rapid.

Briefly, there is a change of about 4_s._ in four-weekly cycles. Thus in November, 1899, the averages for the five weeks were 10_s._, 11_s._ 2_d._, 13_s._ 9_d._, 13_s._ 10_d._, 12_s._

In November the wages are much higher than in July, and evidently more regular in character; the number earning near the average is also greater. Thus the "dispersion" in November is generally about 2 (the quartiles and median being, for example, 12_s._, 15_s._, 18_s._); while in July it is generally about 4 (_e.g._, 3_s._ 9_d._, 6_s._ 3_d._, 8_s._ 9_d._). Again, it seems quite doubtful each year whether there will be any July wages worth the name; the median in four weeks selected each year in July changes from 2_s._ 11_d._ to 8_s._ 2_d._; while that for selected weeks in November is from 10_s._ 8_d._ to 17_s._ 11_d._, a smaller proportionate variation.

The majority are piece workers.

The following table shows the wages in two weeks (slack and busy) in 1899. The figures are probably typical of similar weeks in previous years.

+-------------------+------------+------------+ FIRM A. July 14th, Nov. 29th, 1899. 1899. From to Numbers Numbers _s.__d._ _s.__d._ earning. earning. +-------------------+------------+------------+ 24 0 26 0 1 2 22 0 24 0 0 5 20 0 22 0 1 12 18 0 20 0 0 9 16 0 18 0 2 5 14 0 16 0 4 14 12 0 14 0 5 10 10 0 12 0 4 11 8 0 10 0 11 1 6 0 8 0 17 2 4 0 6 0 11 2 2 0 4 0 6 2 -- -- 2 0 1 1 +-------------------+------------+------------+ July 14th, 1899: Median, 7_s._; Quartiles, 5_s._ 8_d._, 9_s._ 11_d._; Dispersion, 27.

Nov. 29th, 1899: Median, 14_s._ 6_d._; Quartiles, 11_s._ 10_d._, 19_s._; Dispersion, 23.

+-------+-----------------------------------+ FIRM Average A. Wage. +-----------+-----------+-----------+ 1st 2nd Year. Six Six Months. Months. +-------+-----------+-----------+-----------+ _s._ _d._ _s._ _d._ _s._ _d._ 1885 8 11 9 2 9 1 1886 8 4 9 5 8 10 1887 8 8 9 5 9 0 1888 8 0 10 7 9 4 1889 9 5 10 11 10 1 1890 10 4 10 10 10 6 1891 9 0 10 1 9 6 1892 8 4 9 8 9 0 1893 9 4 8 8 9 0 1894 8 2 9 8 8 11 1895 8 5 10 4 9 4 1896 9 5 10 0 9 8 1897 9 10 10 11 10 4 1898 10 6 10 1 10 4 1899 9 11 10 4 10 1 +-------+-----------+-----------+-----------+

+-------+-----------+-----------+ FIRM Median A. Wage. +-----------+-----------+ Week Week in in July. Nov. +-------+-----------+-----------+ _s._ _d._ _s._ _d._ 1885 8 2 15 2 1886 4 5 17 0 1887 5 5 14 7 1888 8 9 14 6 1889 9 3 17 2 1890 6 7 17 11 1891 6 6 16 10 1892 7 0 15 4 1893 6 2 10 8 1894 3 0 13 11 1895 5 4 14 4 1896 5 7 11 8 1897 6 7 15 0 1898 4 7 11 4 1899 7 0 13 3 +-------+-----------+-----------+ For the 15 years: 1st six months, 9_s._; 2nd six months, 10_s._; year, 9_s._ 6_d._

FIRM B.

_Information obtained._--Wages of five hands tabulated week by week, for years 1886-99, 1887-99, 1896-99, 1898-99, 1899, respectively.

Monthly earnings and half-yearly bonus for all regular hands, 1888-99.

Weekly wages of all hands throughout eighteen months in the years 1886-96 and 1899, three weeks in 1877 and two in 1898.

This firm employs folders, st.i.tchers, and sewers.--The number of permanent hands employed increased with slight variations from two in 1886 to twelve in 1899. Jobbers are occasionally employed, sometimes as many as there are permanent hands.

Considering the regular hands and choosing each year a wage earner near the median for that year, we have the following table.

+--------+-----------+-----------+------------------+ FIRM Total Bonus. Average Earnings B. Wages per week, in Year. including bonus. +--------+-----------+-----------+------------------+ _s._ _s._ _d._ _s._ _d._ 1887 18 0 (a) 10 6 14 3 1888 39 6 21 8 15 6 1889 38 16 20 4 15 4 1890 36 6 16 6 14 4 1891 39 0 18 9 15 4 1892 39 12 20 0 15 7 1893 38 8 24 0 15 2 1894 40 3 15 0 15 9 1895 37 10 19 0 14 10 1896 40 7 20 0 15 9 1897 37 11 19 6 14 10 1898 40 7 20 0 15 11 1899 29 11 (b) 14 9 15 6 +--------+-----------------------+------------------+ (a) half-year (b) 9 months

In a typical week, January 5th-12th, 1899, the wages were:

Full workers, average, 16_s._ 2_d._ 1 at 21_s._ 5 between 16_s._ and 17_s._ 4 " 15_s._ and 16_s._ 1 at 14_s._ 10_d._ 1 " 12_s._ 9_d._

Learners in their third year, 2 at 10_s._ 6_d._ " " second " 1 " 5_s._

9 jobbers, average 5_s._ 5_d._ 1 at 7_s._ 2_d._ 4 between 5_s._ and 7_s._ 4 less than 5_s._

Average, for all except learners, 11_s._ 7_d._

FIRM C.

_Information obtained._--Complete list of wages for first week in every month, from January, 1897, to February, 1900.

Full lists in five weeks described as "slack," "busy," or "typical."

The wages of fifteen hands tabulated, most of them throughout 1897-99.

The work is divided into four departments:--

Binders, from twenty-nine to thirty-eight hands. The median wage fluctuated in the three years between 11_s._ and 17_s._, excluding holiday weeks; 13_s._ is the general average. About six are on time wages.

In the warehouse, where Government folding is done, five hands are employed. The median wage of this group fluctuated in 1897 between 16_s._ and 27_s._, being low at the end of 1897. In 1898 and 1899 it was a little steadier, averaging about 21_s._ (piece rates).

In the envelope room, where folding and relief stamping is done, seven to thirteen hands are employed. The median wage is very variable, fluctuating from 9_s._ to 16_s._, and averaging about 12_s._, chiefly time wages.

Machine ruling is done by from four to eleven girls. Their median wage was nearly steady at 6_s._ in 1897 and 1898, and rose regularly to 8_s._ in 1899. Nominally these were time wages.

The following table shows detailed wages in five selected weeks (learners excluded).

+------------------+--------------------------+-------+---------+ FIRM C. Typical Weeks. Busy Slack Week. Week. +--------+--------+--------+-------+---------+ Nov., Feb., Nov., Dec., March, 1898. 1899. 1899. 1899. 1899. +------------------+--------+--------+--------+-------+---------+ Binders-- No. No. No. No. No. Above 20_s._ 0 0 2 2 0 18_s._ to 20_s._ 0 0 1 5 0 16_s._ " 18_s._ 5 3 9 13 1 14_s._ " 16_s._ 7 10 4 3 0 12_s._ " 14_s._ 7 4 7 6 2 10_s._ " 12_s._ 8 4 4 1 14 8_s._ " 10_s._ 3 3 1 0 9 6_s._ " 8_s._ 1 2 0 0 3 4_s._ " 6_s._ 2 5 0 0 1 +------------------+--------+--------+--------+-------+---------+ Envelope Room-- 20_s._ to 22_s._ 2 0 0 0 0 18_s._ " 20_s._ 2 2 2 2 0 16_s._ " 18_s._ 2 3 1 2 1 14_s._ " 16_s._ 0 1 2 0 1 12_s._ " 14_s._ 1 1 0 1 1 10_s._ " 12_s._ 1 1 2 2 1 8_s._ " 10_s._ 2 2 1 1 1 6_s._ " 8_s._ 1 0 0 1 3 4_s._ " 6_s._ 0 1 1 0 1 2_s._ " 4_s._ 0 0 0 0 1 +------------------+--------+--------+--------+-------+---------+ Machine Ruling-- 8_s._ to 9_s._ 2 0 2 4 0 7_s._ " 8_s._ 3 3 0 0 0 6_s._ " 7_s._ 1 3 0 1 0 5_s._ " 6_s._ 2 2 0 0 7 4_s._ " 5_s._ 0 2 0 0 4 3_s._ " 4_s._ 0 1 0 0 1 2_s._ " 3_s._ 0 0 0 0 0 +------------------+--------+--------+--------+-------+---------+ Warehouse s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. Earnings. 22 4 24 1 27 9 28 0 21 6 22 1 24 1 26 10 26 10 20 8 22 1 23 3 26 4 26 3 20 8 20 5 22 1 24 6 24 9 19 3 12 7 20 10 11 3 24 0 15 6 +------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+

FIRM D.

_Information obtained._--Complete lists of wages in all weeks in 1899.

Wages of thirty-one hands tabulated week by week through 1899.

The lists are made up in five divisions.

1. Sixty-five to seventy-eight employed in sewing, folding and collating (of whom eleven to seventeen are learners). Excluding Bank Holiday weeks and learners, the average wage fluctuates only between 10_s._ and 13_s._ 9_d._ Average for 1st half, 12_s._; 2nd half, 11_s._ 6_d._; year, 11_s._ 9_d._

2. Eighty to ninety (including sixteen to twenty-three learners), collating and sewing. Average from 10_s._ 7_d._ to 16_s._ 3_d._ Average for 1st half, 13_s._ 5_d._; 2nd half, 13_s._ 2_d._; year, 13_s._ 3_d._

3. Eighty-three to ninety-two (including thirteen to thirty learners), folding. Average from 10_s._ 6_d._ to 16_s._ 5_d._ Average for 1st half, 13_s._; 2nd half, 13_s._; year, 13_s._

4. Layers-on, about six. Average fluctuates from 12_s._ to 24_s._ 8_d._; 1st half, 15_s._ 7_d._; 2nd half, 16_s._ 11_d._; year, 16_s._ 3_d._

5. Lookers-over, four or six. Fluctuates from 11_s._ 8_d._ to 15_s._ 10_d._ Average for year, 13_s._ 8_d._