Data on women in labor unions in 1988 reveal the following facts: (1) women are becoming an increasingly important part of membership in organized labor, as the total number of workers in unions declines; (2) in 1988, nearly 6 million of the 47.5 million employed women in the United States, or about 13 percent, were members of unions; (3) since…

Policy options for increasing the earnings of the young welfare recipients were explored by analyzing the incomes of nearly 12,000 young women in Baltimore, Maryland, whose 19th birthday fell between April 1, 1985, and March 31, 1989, and who had at least one spell of welfare dependency between their 19th and 29th birthdays. An analysis of the…

Patterns of employment in U.S. industry today were studied in order to explore factors behind the low income and lagging occupational status of black women workers. The data collected for this group were contrasted with similar data for white women workers. The study found (1) substantial underrepresention in hiring black women at all income…

The earnings gap between black men and white men widened from 1979-89. Black men were more likely to experience declines in regions where they were concentrated. White men's earnings rose relative to black men's in lower-paying industries. (SK)

In trying to determine race and sex differences in earnings, some chapters in this volume examine the hypothesis that earnings differences are caused by skill differences. Findings indicate that skill differences cannot account for much of the earnings differences. Education levels required by various jobs are analyzed and compared to the actual…

Data from the 1984 Survey of Income and Program Participation showed that 62% of differences in wages offered to black and white men and 67% of differences in observed wages were not due to productivity differences. Wage discrimination reduced the relative employment rate of black men from 89% to 82% of white men's rate. (SK)

In recent years, female attachment to the labor force has increased dramatically, particularly for women of childbearing age. This trend has reflected demographic factors and also fundamental changes in how women's roles are viewed in our society. It has not, however, affected black and white women equally. (Author/GC)

Census data from 1940-90 show that skill demands due to technological change accelerated inequality for less skilled workers, partly accounting for the slowed economic progress of black men. It is not female and immigrant labor market entrants, but increased competition from middle-skilled white men that appears to have adverse influence on black…

Between 1986 and 1996, the number of black women aged 16 and over in the United States increased from 11 million to 13 million. Labor force participation for black women rose during that time from 56.9 percent to 60.4 percent. In 1996 the total labor force population of black women was 7.9 million. Of these, 80 percent worked full time. Black…

This paper examines trends in the employment rates of young black men, and other groups of young people, during 1979-2000. Data from the Current Population Survey's Outgoing Rotation Groups are used to estimate these trends and their determinants. The data are pooled and analyzed for differences across individuals and metropolitan areas and for…

The multidimensional nature of the diversity of the nation's labor force was examined, with emphasis on the economic diversity within the population generally and within and among the demographic groups. Principal activities were a literature review focusing on the economics of the labor market, analysis of data from the 1980 Census, and a…

This paper measures the relationship between employment growth and employment opportunities for noncollege-educated males, examining variations across metropolitan areas in the living-wage employment ratio for prime-aged males with at most a high school education (less educated). Living-wage employment is full-time, year-round employment yielding…

Findings are reported of a survey of the University of Tennessee School of Social Work (UTSSW) alumni conducted during 1978, which sought to identify ways to improve the school's graduate program, to strengthen its ability to serve its graduates, and to develop further knowledge in the area of social work manpower. The first paper, "A…

A study tracing the United States economy over the last 40 years reports the skills needed in the changing economy around the turn of the 21st century. Data sources were the March Annual Demographic files of the Current Population Survey for 1970, 1980, 1990, and 1996, and the Public Microdata Sample of the 1960 Census. The study notes the rise of…

This document contains the text of a 1979 hearing called to address the issue of economic disparities that exist between white and black Americans. The issue focused on during this hearing was the loss of revenue to the black community imposed by economic disparity and the imposed cost of institutional barriers preventing economic parity. A…