economy and work Flashcards
shift of work 20th century
ban against child labor; now have retirement; increased specialization, increased need for literacy and organizational skills; shift to services instead of products; increasingly higher-prestige jobs, improved in quality as jobs became more specialized; work became cleaner
Substandard work
low wages, no pension, no healthcare, unusual schedules; usually older, foreign, or poorly educated workers, also increase in younger workers
Wage gap
widening between those at top and those at bottom; women earn less, but gap is decreasing; increased compensation for college grads compared to high school grads and dropouts, particularly for full-time jobs; blacks make less with same credentials and immigrants make less
Minimum wage
peak power in 1968, but declined with inflation; after 2000, at its lowest since 1950; helps widen inequality, wage gap
Working hours
college graduates work longer hours, accept longer hours and are more rewarded, amplifies benefits; drop-outs may wish to work more to make ends meet
Change in work hours
due to increased productivity and decreased immigration; resulted in 8 hour work day; in 1940, dropouts worked longer hours, perhaps in order to get the job done, but now everything is more efficient
how Americans feel about work
work has value; people increasingly want work that gives sense of accomplishment; higher levels of job satisfaction in recent years, particularly among college grads; job security also contributes to satisfaction
nonstandard work schedules
outside of normal 9-5 day; undermine stability of families, creates various strains; number of people working unusual schedules is increasing
who works nonstandard hours?
1/5 employees; men, minorities (especially African-Americans) are more likely; dual-earning couples are likely to have at least one working these hours; couples with children; low income workers; single mothers
stress of working nonstandard hours on marriages
especially damaging when there are children at home; dual-earning couples report less marriage satisfaction; less quality time together, especially when one has to work at night
Effects of nonstandard hours on family
loss of family dinner; may have to find childcare, but few places open during nonstandard hours; housework has to be divided between couple and may cause friction; have to rely on relatives for help
What can be done to help people who work nonstandard hours
provide higher wages for late shifts; expand availability and affordability of childcare options; policy options to limit night work
