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Representative daily wages of employees in and about coal mines in Canada, September 1921 to 1937
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| 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 19241 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | |||||||
| Nova Scotia | |||||||
| Contract miners2 | 7.22 | 5.94 | 6.84 | 6.98 | 6.08 | 6.25 | 6.62 |
| Hand miners3 | 5.05 | 4.30 | 4.30 | 4.60 | 4.30 | 4.15 | 4.15 |
| Hoisting engineers | 5.15 | 4.35 | 4.35 | 4.60 | 4.35 | 4.15 | 4.15 |
| Drivers | 4.15 | 3.60 | 3.60 | 3.90 | 3.60 | 3.60 | 3.60 |
| Bratticemen | 4.30 | 3.75 | 3.75 | 4.05 | 3.75 | 3.65 | 3.65 |
| Pumpmen | 4.55 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 4.30 | 4.00 | 3.90 | 3.90 |
| Labourers, underground | 3.90 | 3.35 | 3.35 | 3.65 | 3.35 | 3.35 | 3.35 |
| Labourers, surface | 3.80 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 3.50 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Machinists | 5.15 | 4.35 | 4.35 | 4.60 | 4.35 | 4.15 | 4.15 |
| Carpenters | 4.60 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 4.25 | 4.00 | 3.85 | 3.85 |
| Blacksmiths | 4.85 | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.35 | 4.10 | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Alberta4 | |||||||
| Contract miners2 | 9.57 | 9.17 | 10.00 | 8.46 | 7.92 | 7.10 | 7.74 |
| Machine miners3 | 8.02 | 8.02 | 8.02 | 7.02 | 5.65 to 7.00 | 5.65 to 7.00 | 5.65 to 7.00 |
| Hand miners3 | 7.50 | 7.50 | 7.50 | 6.56 | 5.00 to 5.40 | 5.00 to 5.57 | 5.00 to 5.57 |
| Hoisting engineers | 7.39 | 7.39 | 7.39 | 6.47 | 5.50 to 6.00 | 5.50 to 6.00 | 5.50 to 6.00 |
| Drivers | 7.21 | 7.21 | 7.21 | 6.31 | 4.70 to 4.90 | 4.70 to 5.25 | 4.70 to 5.25 |
| Bratticemen | 7.50 | 7.50 | 7.50 | 6.56 | 5.20 to 5.40 | 5.20 to 5.57 | 5.20 to 5.57 |
| Pumpmen | 6.89 | 6.89 | 6.89 | 6.03 | 4.25 to 4.75 | 4.25 to 4.75 | 4.25 to 4.75 |
| Labourers, underground | 6.89 | 6.89 | 6.89 | 6.03 | 4.25 to 4.45 | 4.25 to 1.67 | 4.25 to 4.67 |
| Labourers, surface | 6.58 | 6.58 | 6.58 | 5.76 | 4.00 to 4.20 | 4.00 to 4.20 | 4.00 to 4.20 |
| Machinists | 8.14 | 8.14 | 8.14 | 7.12 | 4.70 to 5.50 | 4.70 to 5.77 | 4.70 to 5.77 |
| Carpenters | 8.14 | 8.14 | 8.14 | 7.12 | 5.30 to 5.50 | 5.30 to 5.77 | 5.30 to 5.77 |
| Blacksmiths | 8.14 | 8.14 | 8.14 | 7.12 | 5.30 to 5.50 | 5.30 to 5.77 | 5.30 to 5.77 |
| Vancouver Island5 | |||||||
| Contract miners | 8.10 | 7.23 | 7.14 | 7.09 | 6.78 | 6.99 | 6.76 |
| Machine miners3 | 5.69 | 5.48 | 5.46 | 5.34 | 4.81 | 4.81 | 4.81 |
| Hand miners3 | 5.42 | 5.16 | 5.13 | 5.05 | 4.52 | 4.52 | 4.52 |
| Hoisting engineers | 6.23 | 6.06 | 6.04 | 5.92 | 5.39 | 5.39 | 5.39 |
| Drivers | 4.89 | 4.65 | 4.64 | 4.58 | 4.13 | 4.13 | 4.13 |
| Bratticemen | 5.23 | 4.47 | 4.95 | 4.87 | 4.35 | 4.35 | 4.35 |
| Pumpmen | 4.65 | 4.97 | 4.47 | 4.38 | 3.96 | 3.96 | 3.96 |
| Labourers, underground | 4.71 | 4.44 | 4.43 | 4.36 | 3.97 | 3.97 | 3.97 |
| Labourers, surface | 4.54 | 4.26 | 4.23 | 4.11 | 3.76 | 3.76 | 3.76 |
| Machinists | 6.29 | 6.03 | 6.01 | 5.95 | 5.40 | 5.40 | 5.40 |
| Carpenters | 5.69 | 5.45 | 5.43 | 5.37 | 4.83 | 4.83 | 4.83 |
| Blacksmiths | 6.05 | 5.75 | 5.72 | 5.64 | 5.11 | 5.11 | 5.11 |
| Note: All trades work eight hours per day, except for two classes in Nova Scotia, surface labourers and machinists, who work eight and a half hours a day; previous to 1927, carpenters and blacksmiths worked eight and a half hours a day. Some engineers, pumpmen, firemen, etc., work seven days per week. | |||||||
| 1. Rates for November 1924 are used, as there were disputes in Alberta and British Columbia in September. | |||||||
| 2. Average earnings per day worked on contract. | |||||||
| 3. Minimum rate per day when not working on contract per ton, yard, etc. | |||||||
| 4. Includes three Crow's Nest Pass field mines in southeastern British Columbia. | |||||||
| 5. No figures for Chinese employees included. | |||||||
| Source: Statistics Canada, The Canada Year Book, 1927/1928. | |||||||
