Summary information

Study title

Working Class in the Labour Market, 1970-1971

Creator

Mann, M., University of Cambridge, Department of Applied Economics
Blackburn, R. M., University of Cambridge, Department of Applied Economics

Study number / PID

1193 (UKDA)

10.5255/UKDA-SN-1193-1 (DOI)

Data access

Restricted

Series

Not available

Abstract

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.


The data are part of a comprehensive study of the labour market for manual workers, which relates together the objective job structure and the workers subjective experience.
Main Topics:

Variables
Opportunities for job choice in terms of skill demands, job allocation processes, differences between and within firms, and the extent to which jobs provide alternative rewards or are hierarchically structured; whether there are stable differences between workers, providing criteria for the employers to satisfy the labour force; whether workers have the knowledge and relatively stable preferences needed to exercise any control. The last raises questions of orientations to work, and their relation to background factors, as well as their relevance for job choice.
The data consist of two surveys of jobs and workers performing them. In addition, background information on town, firms, unions, etc. was obtained from key interviews, observation, newspaper reports and so on.
The survey of jobs provides measurements of 31 aspects (e.g. noise, mathematical calculation, pace choice) together with mean wages and hours. The survey of workers covers such items as personal background, job history, perception of job opportunities, priorities, ideology, satisfaction and social activities.

Methodology

Data collection period

01/08/1970 - 01/05/1971

Country

England

Time dimension

Cross-sectional (one-time) study

Analysis unit

Individuals
Subnational
Firms
Manual workers
Men
Occupations

Universe

Male manual workers and jobs in 9 firms in Peterborough. The jobs are restricted to those for which a formal apprenticeship is not necessary

Sampling procedure

Departments/sections in firms selected on theoretical grounds, then all jobs taken. Stratified random sample of workers doing these jobs, i.e. variable fraction by department/section, with total coverage in some cases. (In two firms several workers who known to speak no English or Italian were excluded from the sampling frames)

Kind of data

Not available

Data collection mode

Face-to-face interview
Observation

Access

Publisher

UK Data Service

Publication year

1978

Terms of data access

The Data Collection is available to UK Data Service registered users subject to the End User Licence Agreement.

Commercial use of the data requires approval from the data owner or their nominee. The UK Data Service will contact you.

Related publications

  • Mann, M. and Blackburn, R. (1975) 'Ideology in the non-skilled working class' in M. Bulmer (ed.), , London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
  • Mann, M. and Blackburn, R. (0001) The relevance of workers' priorities in the theory and measurement of job satisfaction.
  • Blackburn, R. and Mann, M. (1979) The working class in the labour market, London: Macmillan.
  • Mann, M. (1972) 'The ideologies of non-skilled industrial workers' : SSRC.
  • Blackburn, R. (1972) 'Working class ideology' : SSRC.