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Earnings of textile, apparel, and furnishings workers vary by occupation. Because many production workers in apparel manufacturing are paid according to the number of acceptable pieces they or their group produce, their total earnings depend on skill, speed, and accuracy. Workers covered by union contracts tend to have higher earnings. Median hourly earnings by occupation in 2002 were as follows:
Extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers $13.22
Fabric and apparel patternmakers 12.67
Upholsterers 11.86
Textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders 11.05
Tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers 10.68
Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setters, operators, and tenders 10.54
Textile bleaching and dyeing machine operators and tenders 10.00
Shoe machine operators and tenders 9.90
Textile cutting machine setters, operators, and tenders 9.77
Shoe and leather workers and repairers 9.14
All other textile, apparel, and furnishings workers 9.01
Sewers, hand 8.69
Sewing machine operators 8.39
Pressers, textile, garment, and related materials 8.21
Laundry and drycleaning workers 8.07
Benefits also vary. A few large employers, for example, include childcare in their benefits package. Apparel workers in retail trade also may receive a discount on their purchases from the company for which they work. In addition, some of the larger manufacturers operate company stores from which employees can purchase apparel products at significant discounts. Some small firms, however, offer only limited benefits.
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