Table 4. Average hourly wage rates for selected tasks.


 Labor Activity ---------------Industry-------------
 Foliage Fern Woody Average

Potting/Planting -------------Dollars/hr.-------------
 1993 4.85 3.72 4.42 4.39
 1987/88' 4.29 4.83 4.52 4.54
 Harvesting
 1993 4.69 5.42 7.35 6.18
 1987/88" 4.59 5.50 4.55 4.88
 Packing/Shipping
 1993 5.29 5.67 8.15 6.40
 1987/88" N/A N/A N/A
 Machine Operation
 1993 5.08 4.88 6.97 6.07
 1987/88" 5.80 6.01 5.64 5.81
 Perm. Field Workers
 1993 5.53 5.68 5.45 5.55
 1987/88" 4.92 5.16 4.82 4.96

 From Polopolous et al, 1990




included for 1993 because it represents an essential task and can be used as a
benchmark for future studies. Two additional wage categories from the 1988 survey
were compared as well: machine operation and average hourly wages for permanent
employees.
 With the exception of potting and planting, there were only modest wage
increases over the five years for the tasks identified. Wage increases were found for
hand harvesting (20 percent), machine operation (5 percent), and for permanent
employees (10 percent). For potting activities, the 1993 survey indicates hourly wage
rates declined in both the fern and woody sectors whereas they increased for foliage.
The drop in wages was considerable in the fern industry, nearly 25 percent.