Evening star., 1920-02-06
WA|TER-WA|TRESS
WAGES SURVEY OUT
Department of Labor and
Board Report for Six Months
Is Announced.

Walters and Mattresses in hotels
and restaurants in the District of Co
lumbia are among the best paid en-
ploYeS in these establishments, with
the exception of those holding execu-
the Department of Labor, as a result
OF a survey made by the department
last year. in cooperation with the
District minimum wage board
During this survey transcripts of
the pay rolls were obtained for the
week or half month preceding the
visit from 1853 establishments. OF
these 46 per cent were in hotels, 4S
per cent were in restaurants, per
cent were in hospitals and 0.6 per cent
were in apartment houses.
Three Factors influence.
Three important characteristics of
the hotel and restaurant business
were found to influence the money
wage received by woman employees.
FIRST among these is the unsteadiness
or employment. OF the 1853 women on
the pay rolls. 6s or "A per cent work ed
less than a full month. Of the 127
women on the pay rolls of two other
notels ~ or 80 per cent worked less
than a full half month. Assuming
group would have failed to work the
1ull pay period in the other half
month, IS or a per cent of this
group would have worked less than a
iull month. says d statement issued
by the department.
Such irregular attendance and con-
stant shifting from job to job makes
earnings considerably less than rates
or pay, and this difference must be
borne in mind in considering the
analysis of the wage rates"
Another factor influencing wages is
raCaiVa6 hI- oil for
operators and Mattresses, the report
points out. Tips reported to be re-
ceived by elevator operators aver
aged about 35 cents week-too
small to affect earnings. Eight maids
said they received no a;bs. seven
and the average for those giving
actual figures was S1.22 week. The
average tips received by mattresses in
restaurants was s4.62 a week. LAS
the mattresses were found to be
among the best paid employees" the
report said. the generally low wages
of the women are not Offset by the
value of tips.
Mcafs and Rooms for Some.
The third factor influencing wages
is the prevalence in the industry of
other than money compensation. vi
the 2,209 women, per cent received
room and meals. s. per cent received
two meals a day. 3 per cent received
one meal a day and II per cent re-
ceived only a money wage. The cost
of board was assumed to be $6 week
and that of room as So week
Sixty-five per cert of the women re-
ceiving room and board in addition to
wages were paid less than 81 a week;
SIS per cent of those receiving three
meals a day were paid less than $40
week; 6S per cent of those receiving
only a money wage were paid less
than $40 a week: u per cent less than
s12 a week. and only Is per cent SIG
a week or over
Situation In Restaurants.
The wage situation in the restaurant
Industry may be summarized as fol-
lows: Of the women receiving three
than $40 a week. and 1S per cent or
those receiving two meals day were
paid less than s12 week. Hospitals
were classed in the survey with hotels
and restaurants. because the women
employed in hospitals, exclusive of the
nurses. perform work very similar to
that performed by women employed in
hotels. OF the 130 women working in
hospitals in the District 2S per cent
received room and three meals. 50 per
cent received three meals and per
cent one meal a day in addition to
their money wage.
1t was found that the average apart
ment house employs few women, the
most general occupations being tele-
phone and elevator operating. The
fourteen women from whom data were
collected received a straight money
wage, and all of them were paid less
than s14 a week. Wage conditions,
therefore, were found to be worse in
hospitals and apartment houses than
in hotels and restaurants.