This first interim report of the National Commission for Manpower Policy on the manpower challenges of 1975 was developed to (1) assess the extent to which federal manpower and manpower-related programs provide a structure capable of responding to the current unemployment problems and (2) consider some of the long-run critical manpower issues that…

The development of national policies for education and employment is the major concern of this report of a joint working party of officials from member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Focus is on the objectives of public policies for education and working life and on how they can be attained in…

The central concern of this volume is to examine the interrelationships between three levels of urban social structure: (1) local public policy-makers, comprised of elected public officials, the heads of major municipal departments, and "civic notables," or persons who play important roles in urban civic life; (2) "institutional agents," or…

This book provides background for evaluating public policy choices in the area of welfare reform. Although it focuses on Missouri's Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) program, it incorporates and compares national data and it raises the same fundamental questions about the fate of welfare in the United States. The eight chapters of the book…

An overview of unemployment in the United States is presented, including its meaning and extent, its history, and current efforts to save the situation. Illustrative policies of other countries are examined for clues to assuring full employment for Americans. In 1975, 7 million Americans, mostly minorities and blue collar and unskilled workers,…

This eighth special report of the National Commission for Manpower Policy sets forth a conceptual base and the major elements for constructing a national manpower policy framework. The content is presented in six sections. The first one is a brief introduction, while section 2 covers the rationale supporting the development of a national manpower…

Written under a contract with the National Commission for Manpower Policy, this book contains eight chapters (each by a separate author) intended to aid in charting a national employment strategy and assessing the goal of full employment. Three main themes that pervade the book are (1) the responsibility of the federal government to create jobs,…

Four key trends will shape the American labor force in the final years of the 20th century. The American economy should grow at a relatively healthy pace. Despite its international comeback, however, U.S. manufacturing constitutes a much smaller share of the economy in the year 2000 than it does today. The work force will grow slowly, becoming…

This document contains 15 papers on poverty, low-wage work, and survival in the global economy, with emphasis on the following topics: identity and the meaning of work; making decisions about work, family, and welfare; and paths toward change. The following papers are included: "Identity as a Weapon in the Moral Politics of Work and…

Youth employment is the focus of this compilation of 11 working papers (by selected specialists) developed to aid the National Commission for Manpower Policy (NCMP) in its ongoing efforts to develop a national manpower policy. An introductory section comments on the overall needs/conclusions revealed by the policy papers. Policy paper titles and…

Unemployment among young people is a serious and persistent problem in this country. Unemployment rates are especially high among members of minority groups, for high school dropouts, and in economically depressed areas. Vocational education can help to alleviate the problem of unemployment, and a close link between schools and employers can help…

This book discusses the evolution of workfare policies in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Chapter 1 defines the term "workfare" and examines the concepts of transnationalizing workfare and workfarist labor regulation. Chapter 2 establishes workfare's theoretical context and explores the relationship between welfare…

This book examines trends and problems in Canadian workplaces and advocates a people-centered agenda for improving the quality of working life. Chapters 1-9 discuss the following topics: the future of work; the crisis in work; what Canadians want from work; the "new economy"; education, skills, and the knowledge economy; youth and work;…

This book contains 13 papers on labor market and welfare reform, with special emphasis on the demand for low-wage workers, wages and job characteristics in the less skilled labor market, public politics to increase employment and earnings of less skilled workers, and the impact of welfare reform. The following papers are included: "The Labor…

The lives of working-class women were explored through interviews with 63 middle-aged women, most of whom were employed in working-class jobs and living working-class lives in Baltimore, Maryland. The following were among the areas covered in the interviews: the women's lives on and off the job; their job satisfaction; the reasons they work and…