White-Collar, Union Workers Have Edge
Workers in the Los Angeles metropolitan region, which includes Orange County, averaged $16.44 an hour in wages in January 1997, a new Labor Department report said. White-collar workers, who comprise 54% of the work force, had the highest average pay of $20.49 per hour. Blue-collar jobs averaged $12.13.
There also was a big difference between full- and part-time workers. Full-timers averaged $17.29 an hour, while part-timers averaged $9.51. And union workers in blue-collar occupations had average pay of $15.78 an hour, while those not in a union averaged $10.61.
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Patrice Apodaca covers economic issues for The Times. She can be reached at (714) 966-5979 and at patrice.apodaca@latimes.com.
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