The Labor Force

Tracking the Labor Force Employment and Unemployment The Labor Market Today

Tracking the Labor Force: Unemployment In what year between 1970 and 2013 was the unemployment rate the lowest? What was the unemployment rate in that year?

Occupational Trends A Changing Economy Fewer Goods, More Services Effects of International Competition

Occupational Trends Computers and hand-held devices such as cellphones and tablets have changed the way business, including farming, is done in the United States.

The Changing Labor Force College Graduates Women at Work Temporary Workers The Impact of Foreign-Born Workers

The Changing Labor Force The graphs illustrate trends related to the U.S. labor force. About how many times as many temporary employees were employed in 2012 as were employed in 1970?

Wages and Benefits Trends Real Wages Down Cost of Benefits

Wages and Benefits Trends Because real wages have actually gone down in recent years, the average worker is able to purchase less with a paycheck than he or she would have been able to purchase in 1979.

Labor and Wages

Supply, Demand, and the Labor Market Labor Demand Labor Supply Equilibrium Wage A highly skilled neurosurgeon can earn over $500,000 per year. Neurosurgeons must complete four years of medical school and several more years of residency training.

Supply, Demand, and the Labor Market

Labor and Skills Why do lawyers earn more money than carpenters, and carpenters more than cashiers? Wages vary according to workers’ skill levels and education, as well as according to supply and demand. Jobs are often categorized into four skill levels:

Unskilled Semi-Skilled Skilled Professional

Discrimination in the Labor Market Laws Against Wage Discrimination Pay Levels for Women Pay Levels Across Society

Additional Factors Affecting Wages Minimum Wage Laws Safety Laws Employers Respond to Wage Levels Unions

Labor Unions

Organized Labor According to the graph, after what year did private-sector union membership start its decline? About what percent of workers belonged to private-sector unions in that year?

The History of the Labor Movement Working Conditions in the 1800s Unions Take Hold Employer Resistance A Thriving Movement

The History of the Labor Movement The American labor movement got its start in the 1800s, when dangerous working conditions prevailed. Infer Why do you think the early years of the labor movement were marked by violence?

The Decline in Labor Union Membership As they grew, some unions began to abuse their power. Some sought to preserve outdated and inefficient production methods in order to protect jobs. As you read earlier, some unions managed to preserve job positions that were unnecessary—called “featherbedding”—in order to keep more members employed. As a result, companies that badly needed to improve efficiency to stay competitive found that unions could be an obstacle.

The Decline in Labor Union Membership “Right-to-Work” Laws Decline of Traditional Strongholds Reduced Need for Unions

Labor and Management The Bargaining Process Strikes Outside Help Reaching Settlements (Arbitration)