Table of Contents

I. Introduction

• Purpose
• Chapter Content
• Appendix Content

II. Information on American Samoa Geography, History, Culture, Government, and Economics

• Basic Information
• Social and Political Structure
• Land Tenure System
• Population
• State of the Economy
• Labor Force and Employment
• Consumer Price Index

III. The Tuna Processing Industry

• Overview
• Tuna Processing
• The Effects of Loin-Processing Operations
• Structure and Location of the Industry
• Geographical Shifts
• U.S. Mainland Tuna Canneries
• Tuna Canning in Puerto Rico
• Tuna Production in American Samoa
• StarKist
• Chicken of the Sea
• Recent Issues Affecting Tuna Industry
• Pouched Tuna
• Methyl mercury
• Legislation

IV. American Samoa Wage Structure

• Minimum Wage Rates under the Fair Labor Standards Act
• Background
• Current Minimum Wage Rates
• Survey Results
• American Samoa Employment and Wages
• Estimated Effect of Increases in the Minimum Wage
• Sub-Minimum Wage Employees
• Government Employees Industry
• Fish Canning and Processing Industry
• Petroleum Marketing Industry
• Shipping and Transportation Industry: Classification A
• Shipping and Transportation Industry: Classification B
• Shipping and Transportation Industry: Classification C
• Construction Industry
• Retailing, Wholesaling, and Warehousing Industry
• Printing Industry
• Publishing Industry
• Finance and Insurance Industry
• Ship Maintenance Industry
• Hotel Industry
• Tour and Travel Services Industry
• Private Hospitals and Educational Institutions Industry
• Miscellaneous Activities Industry
• Garment Manufacturing Industry
• Bottling, Brewing, and Dairy Products Industry

V. The American Samoa Minimum Wage - FLSA Requirements

• A: Achieve Minimum Standard of Living, by Gradually Reaching the Mainland Federal Minimum Wage, as Rapidly as is Economically Feasible
• B: Do Not Raise Minimum Wages to a Level that Substantially Curtails Employment in the Industry
• Measuring Ability to Pay
• Impact of Higher Productivity
• C: Set Minimums that Do Not Give a Competitive Advantage Over Counterpart U.S. Industries
• Minimum Wages and Tuna Competition
• Total U.S. Supply
• Bank of Hawaii Economic Report

VI. Economic Factors for Consideration that May Favor Minimum Wage Increases

• American Samoa Government Possible Balanced Budgets
• Government Policies Reducing Business Costs
• Tariff Savings
• Tax Treatment
• Low Ratio of Labor Cost to Product Cost
• Employment and Output Increasing Faster than Minimum Wage
• Limited Use of Frozen Loins in American Samoa
• Increases in Productivity
• Thailand's Tuna Industry
• Measuring Productivity Improvements

VII. Economic Factors for Consideration that May Weigh Against Minimum Wage Increases

• Slow U.S. Market Growth
• Foreign Competition
• Imports of Canned Tuna
• Dolphin-Safe Standard
• Andean Trade Preferences Act
• Tariff Rates
• Quota on Canned Tuna Relatively Ineffective
• European Tariffs
• Use of Frozen Loin Technology
• Economic Uncertainty
• Wage Increases Not Limited to Minimum Wage Workers
• High Failure Rate of Small Businesses
• Higher Wages than Competitors
• Currency Devaluation
• Other Economic Disadvantages of the American Samoa Location