Local Labor Research Articles

Critical Decades: Textiles and Material Culture in Jane Eyre and Three Recent Adaptations

This paper discusses the social commentary of textile production as revealed in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre (1847) and three recent adaptations. First, I focus on Rosamond Oliver’s deceptively offhand allusion to the Luddite riots of 1812 to argue that Brontë sets her novel in the 1810s during the upheavals impacting the textile industries of the East Midlands, Yorkshire and the North West regions. This setting coupled with textual allusions to early nineteenth-century fashions are used to connect the female characters’ dress in Jane Eyre to local and global labour issues, colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade. I then turn to the visual representation of textiles in the intermedial adaptations of Jane Eyre by Robert Young (1997), Susanna White (2006) and Cary Fukunaga (2011), which by visually highlighting the material culture of the 1830s and 1840s, move Brontë’s narrative from the late Georgian to the early Victorian era. These adaptations overwrite the novel’s allusions to early nineteenth-century debates on industrialisation, colonialism and human enslavement in order to privilege its mid-nineteenth-century feminist critique of British marriage laws.

Labor market pathways to job quality mobility in the service sector: Evidence from the “Great Resignation”

Since the mid-1970s, there has been a sharp rise in the prevalence of “bad jobs” in the U.S. labor market, characterized by stagnant wages, unstable work schedules, and limited fringe benefits. Scholarly, policy, and public debate persists, however, about whether these jobs can serve as steppingstones to intra-generational job quality mobility or are instead “poverty traps.” While scholarship increasingly recognizes the multi-dimensional nature of job quality, prior research on intra-generational job mobility overwhelmingly estimates only wage mobility and generally focuses on estimating the degree of mobility, to the exclusion of the contexts and mechanisms that foster such mobility. We draw on new panel data collected from 8600 hourly service sector workers between 2017 and 2022 to estimate short-run mobility into good jobs, defined as paying at least $15/hour, having a stable work schedule, and offering paid sick leave, employer-sponsored health insurance, and retirement benefits. Overall, we find that mobility into such “good jobs” is low. However, we show that the rate of transition into “good jobs” is strongly conditioned by local labor market conditions: during the “Great Resignation” and in low state-month unemployment periods, nearly twice the share of workers transitioned to “good jobs” as in less favorable contexts, particularly workers who changed sector as opposed to staying at the same firm or taking new jobs in the service sector. Notably, during periods of labor market tightness, workers who stayed at the same employer had similar rates of mobility into “good jobs” as those who changed employers within the sector.

Evaluating Employment Opportunities for PMKVY Trainees: A Comprehensive Study

The goal of the Prime Minister's Knowledge and Skills (PMKVY) initiative is to provide a planned, skill-motivating, and easily accessible national work structure. Because of talent mismatch, India has a scarcity of structured, high-quality employment and qualified labour. PMKVY primarily concerns creating commercial prospects and employment options for labourers in the rust belt, pink-collar, and black-collar categories. The young of the country need to develop their abilities since they can lead to higher-paying professions, more fulfilling dreams, and opportunities to work independently. By 2022, the PMKVY wants to offer 500 million young people in urban and rural areas programs for skill development, education, vacation, and training. A web-based application might improve the efficacy of the plan, bring stakeholders together, and assist in coordinating requirements. Since its implementation, 37 states have adopted the PMKVY. By learning specialized skills in local or conventional labour, the PMKVY seeks to boost self-employment and improve the productivity of skilled people throughout several states. The top ten states for training and placement are Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Orissa, Delhi, West Bengal, Haryana, and Gujarat.

Overeducation in the EU: Gender and regional dimension

The paper investigates factors associated with the overeducation risk in the EU, with a specific focus on gender and regional variables. The study tests Frank's theory of differential overqualification, which suggests that women are more likely to be overeducated than men, especially in small local labour markets. Although women's overeducation rates usually exceed those of men, the study's results show limited validity of Frank's model due to a nuanced relationship by which gender is linked to overeducation. They suggest that gender differentiates the overeducation risk in combination with care responsibilities, whilst easier access to childcare facilities is associated with a lower risk of overeducation among women in households with young children. Moreover, migrant women are found to be more at risk of overeducation, compared to both migrant men and non-migrants. Contrary to Frank's theory, the degree of urbanisation is found irrelevant for overeducation. Furthermore, the study shows the evidence of growing incidence of overeducation in the EU in 2011–2018.

Temporary residents and permanent jobs? Second-home tourism and job creation in the construction sector

ABSTRACT Tourism is widely recognised as a significant source of economic growth and employment, but its effects on employment in sectors beyond the traditional tourism industry is under-researched. Our study explores this research gap by examining the relationship between second-home tourism and employment in the construction industry. Using a combination of registry data and official tax records, the study explores the labour market effects of second-home owners investing in these homes. We find evidence of a positive and significant correlation between the number of second homes and the size of the construction sector within local economies. In particular, the effect stems from second homes owned by non-locals. In addition, we find striking spatial patterns of money flowing into construction firms from outside the local economy – considerable net flows of investments from urban to rural areas, from centre to periphery. This research contributes to the understanding of how tourism affects labour markets beyond the tourism industry. It emphasises the spatial aspects of second-home tourism, particularly in relation to the construction industry. The findings have implications for policymakers, planners, and tourism stakeholders, providing valuable insights into the economic significance of second-home tourism and its impact on local labour markets.

The political economy of senior care in China: theorising with Chinese feminisms

This article explores the political economy of eldercare labour and the gendered politics of care work in China. Building on insights from research conducted in 2016–17 in Shanghai, we argue that gendered regimes of productive and reproductive labour, processes of class formation and economic reforms articulate with a regime of differential urban citizenship rights – urban and rural hukou – in shaping and influencing the lived experience of paid eldercare workers. As a framework for understanding ‘who cares’ in local eldercare labour markets in China, we follow recent work interweaving social reproduction theory (SRT) and intersectionality. In conversation with those debates, we experiment with mobilising intersectionality alongside SRT as we explore these eldercare workers’ paths into the sector, but argue that attention to the Chinese context and Chinese feminist contributions can also transform SRT and intersectional approaches through historically and materially grounded analyses of evolving relations of exploitation and oppression. This approach enriches the feminist political economy of paid eldercare through attention to who is channelled into this work in one of the world’s largest, and fastest-ageing, economies.

Деякі регіональні особливості вимушеної міграції з України: столиця та інші регіони.

The forced migration of Ukrainians within the country and abroad has become a characteristic feature of the era of full-scale invasion. It saved the lives and health of many people, as a decrease in population density in the areas most affected by the hostilities leads to a decrease in human losses. Despite the great research interest in the topic of forced migration, some aspects of it still remain poorly understood, in particular, it is important to study the peculiarities of forced migration at the localities level, at least in large cities. The purpose of this article is to single out the category of forced migrants who lived in Kyiv before the full-scale invasion by the aggressor country and to identify the peculiarities of staying abroad and the attitudes of this group. To achieve this goal, general scientific methods of analysis, synthesis, and induction were used. Empirical data were collected using the method of sample surveys. The method of grouping was used to distinguish Kyiv residents from the general population of respondents, and the method of comparison was used to identify the peculiarities of their forced migration abroad. The study found that Kyiv residents are more likely to settle abroad in the capitals of their destination countries. Among them, there are more unmarried and childless individuals, which creates prerequisites for socio-economic integration outside the country. Also, people from the capital were less likely to have relatives abroad at the time of the full-scale invasion, which is likely due to their low level of participation in external labor migration in the previous period. Migrants from the capital proved to be better integrated in the countries of settlement, which is reflected in their proficiency in the local language, employment in the local labor market, and higher levels of financial well-being. At the same time, they retain stronger ties to Ukraine. Residents of Kyiv region are similar to Kyiv residents in some respects, while in others they are similar to residents of other regions. The study also revealed cases where the population of Kyiv region exhibited characteristics intermediate between Kyiv and other regions. The development of effective strategies for migration management, socio-economic development of the country during the war and post-war revival needs to take into account regional specifics.

Firm‐level prices, quality, and markups: The role of immigrant workers

AbstractIn this article, I study export quality as a channel through which immigrant workers affect the export prices and markups of French manufacturing firms. I find that the share of immigrant workers in a local labor market is positively associated with firm‐level export prices and quality and that this quality advantage translates to higher markups. I present evidence for the mechanism accounting for these relationships and find that the presence of immigrant workers is positively associated with firms importing higher‐price (higher‐quality) intermediate inputs, which are key to producing higher‐price (higher‐quality) exports. The hypothesized economic mechanism is that immigrant workers help firms overcome informational barriers to sourcing higher‐price (higher‐quality) inputs from abroad. I provide evidence consistent with immigrant workers having specialized knowledge of the upstream market.

The living conditions of foreign workers: a field study in Erbil city.

The Kurdistan Region is in the stage of economic development in various sectors, and sometimes economic development requires labor. Allowing and bringing foreign labor depends partly on how much the local labor fulfills the needs of the Kurdistan Region, bringing foreign workers sometimes is discussed as critical by the authorities, despite the lack of employment and local labor, but it is allowed to bring foreign labor, foreign workers have a number of social dimensions, which may affect their living conditions. This study aims to determine the living conditions of foreign workers in Erbil. The research method is quantitative method through the use of questionnaire tool, (381) foreign workers in male and female gender were taken as the study’s sample. Then analyzing the data with the use of the program (SPSS), we came to the conclusion that foreign workers in Erbil feel comfortable and safe, cultural differences have not become a problem and obstacle in front of them regarding religion and food, and they quickly adapt to the culture of Kurdistan Region. Foreign workers are more likely to have no social security and have been asked for inappropriate work, The male faces more social, psychological, healthy, economical, and legal problems than the female. Finally, some suggestion and recommendation have been presented to the related parties and the researches that will be done after this research.

A hybrid solar/biomass active indirect kiln dryer for timber in the Democratic Republic of Congo

This paper presents a small-scale pilot project in the Democratic Republic of Congo of a hybrid kiln dryer for sawn timber powered by solar and biomass energy. The chamber’s thermal insulation comprised layers of vetiver grass, wood and clay, 100% biodegradable. Sun collectors and a supplementary furnace-burning biomass from the nearby sawmill provided the heating energy, while photovoltaic panels supplied electric energy for ventilation and electric devices. The climate was controlled through actuators operated by an electronic system for industrial kiln dryers. Despite relatively high production costs, primarily due to the photovoltaic system, the kiln allowed for good use of local labour and materials. Preliminary tests indicated an improved drying potential of the kiln compared external conditions with a consequent lower drying time and final MC. Data emphasised the influence of thermal energy in the drying rate: the extra power given by the furnace increased the drying rate from 0.4 to 1.4% day−1. The cost of energy ($/kWh) was calculated as 0.009 for the furnace, 0.05 for the solar collector and 0.14 for the photovoltaic. The conversion efficiency of solar collector resulted to be 48% against 14% of photovoltaic.

Monopsony in local labour markets

Abstract We investigate employer monopsony power in local labour markets in the UK. We propose a model in which market power stems from idiosyncratic worker preferences over non-wage attributes of jobs, including the commuting distance. This set-up delivers point-specific, overlapping local labour markets. The resulting concentration index reflects the intensity of commuting flows between local areas, and is lower than the conventional index based on self-contained, non-overlapping areas because commuting across local areas expand workers’ outside options. We estimate that employment concentration in local labour markets was slightly falling over the past 2 decades. The model-based concentration index is negatively correlated to local wages and performs better than other purely local concentration measures. However, in quantitative terms, the observed fall in concentration can predict only a negligible increase in wages.

Spatial disparities across labour markets

Abstract We consider disparities across local labour markets in Great Britain. Disparities in wages and employment rates are large and persistent, although smaller than 20 years ago. These disparities largely reflect the concentration of high-skilled workers, who would have better labour market outcomes wherever they live. This concentration is driven by differences in the demand for, and supply of, skills and the self-reinforcing interaction between the two, which is particularly pronounced in the highest-wage areas and at the upper end of the wage distribution. The highest-paid jobs are concentrated in London and a handful of other areas and wage disparities are mostly driven by the higher-paid. Places that offer higher earnings also have higher rents, which may entirely offset gains in earnings. Consistent with this, people in higher-paid places are no happier than those in lower-paid places.

Challenges of ensuring the integration of internally displaced persons into host communities: Behavioral determinants

Internal migration caused by the war of russia against Ukraine (with the active phase starting in February 2022) has increased the socio-economic burden on the host communities welcoming internally displaced population from the frontline and occupied territories. On the other hand, it intensifies behavioral reflections of local residents on the integration of internally displaced persons (IDPs). The study aims to identify opportunities, challenges, and prospects for IDPs’ adaptation in host communities (a case study of Lviv oblast, Ukraine). The paper conducted a sociological survey among 2,500 respondents in November 2022–February 2023. The results show that the lack of housing, lack of permanent employment, language contradictions, and forced limited contact with relatives who remain in the combat zone are existential barriers to the integration of IDPs into host communities. The study identified such opportunities for the integration of IDPs into the host society: reducing the risk of depopulation of territories, reducing imbalances in the local labor market in certain sectors of the economy, strengthening social cohesion, developing small businesses, and improving social infrastructure. The respective challenges include increased social tension, competition for jobs and housing, shortage of places in preschool institutions, and disproportionate distribution of budget funds between the local population and IDPs. Conflicts between IDPs and local residents, as well as IDPs and local authorities, require a proactive position of local authorities to initiate psychological support programs and create communication platforms for the exchange of individual experiences and discussion of psychological and emotional issues.

Mines’ Characteristics and Their Links with Agriculture as the Main Livelihood for Rural Households in Burundi

Mining activities create positive links with agriculture. They are also characterized by uprooting of agricultural land and labour, and water pollution. The objective of this paper is to characterize mining activities and their links with the livelihoods of rural household. A survey with 140 households, interviews and observations were conducted in July and August 2022 in Mabayi commune, on Gahoma and Ruhororo hills, where the Russian mining company ‘Tanganyika Mining Burundi-TMB’ and the local mining cooperative Dukorere Hamwe Dusoze Ikivi-DHDI were carrying out their activities respectively, since December 2018. The results showed that TMB and DHDI inject money into the local economy, and strengthen social ties by creating farmers and mutual aid’s associations/cooperatives. They are also characterized by competition in land and labour markets, environmental degradation, rising food and arable land prices, and corruption in the compensation awarding process. DHDI absorbs considerably local labour force and improves social infrastructure, unlike TMB. Although it is characterized by survival mining activities which are dangerous to health and live of employees, DHDI contributes positively to agricultural production, whereas TMB contributes negatively to agricultural production, despite having sufficient capacity and skills to improve performance and ensure the safety of its employees. Received: 3 January 2024 / Accepted: 26 June 2024 / Published: 02 July 2024

Programmed Intermittent Epidural Boluses of 0.1% Ropivacaine Versus 0.2% Ropivacaine for the Maintenance of Epidural Analgesia in Labor.

Objective The gold standard for pain management during labor is epidural analgesia, which can be administered in two different ways to the parturients, either bybolus doses or continuous infusions of local anesthetic solutions with opioids. Recently, programmed intermittent epidural boluses (PIEBs) via a pump are gaining popularity as a very effective method with minimal side effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the optimum ropivacaine concentration between two different regimens (0.1% or 0.2% both with fentanyl 2 μg/ml) that can provide satisfactory analgesia with the minimum degree of motor blockade, using PIEBs. Methods A prospective randomized controlled study was performed from March 2020 to March 2022. Two different concentrations of ropivacaine 0.1% and 0.2% via PIEBs were equally allocated to two groups of parturients with an additional patient control epidural rescue bolus if needed. Our primary endpoint was motor blockade, as assessed by the modified Bromage scale (MBS). We also recorded visual analog scale (VAS) scores, heart rate, blood pressure, total local anesthetic consumption, labor duration and method of delivery, and APGAR score of the newborns. Results All patients presented Bromage scores equal to 6, and the total consumption of the anesthetic solution was comparable between the two groups. Women in the 0.2% group showed higher pain relief and satisfaction compared to the 0.1% group. Concerning the 0,2% group, diastolic blood pressure and APGAR scores were lower alongside with a lower satisfactory extrusion stage observed bythe obstetrician. Conclusion Both ropivacaine regimens provide satisfactory labor epidural analgesia for the expectant mother without any motor blockade.

The Evolution of Local Labor Markets after Recessions

This paper studies how US local labor markets respond to employment losses that occur during recessions. Following recessions from 1973 through 2009, we find areas that lose more jobs during the recession experience persistent relative declines in employment and population. Most importantly, these local labor markets also experience persistent decreases in the employment-population ratio, earnings per capita, and earnings per worker. Our results imply that limited population responses result in longer-lasting consequences for local labor markets than previously thought and that recessions are followed by persistent reallocation of employment across space. (JEL E32, J21, J31, J61, R23)

Employment of Migrants as a Response to the Needs of Entrepreneurs in Rural Border Regions—Examples from Poland

The aim of the study was to identify the needs of entrepreneurs in the context of labor shortages on the local labor market and supplement them with immigrants from Ukraine. The focus was on border enterprises from rural areas located on the external border of Poland and the EU. It was determined in which industries cross-border entrepreneurs are looking for migrants to work. A research questionnaire was created to determine the migrant’s profile from the point of view of the entrepreneur’s needs. It covered 400 enterprises, 100 from each of the surveyed voivodeships of Eastern Poland: Warmia-Masuria, Podlaskie, Lublin and Subcarpathia. Correspondence analysis was used to help determine differences in entrepreneurs’ preferences in the studied voivodeships. Entrepreneurs are most likely to employ qualified immigrants with professional experience in flexible forms of work. They expect that immigrants will be more available and will have lower wage requirements compared to local workers, which will translate into lower labor costs and better economic results. They believe that employing immigrants will improve productivity, quality and work discipline. The main limitations include ignorance or poor knowledge of the language of the host country, premature termination of contracts and working under the influence of alcohol.

Information technology adoption and the growth of nonemployer businesses

AbstractThe growth of nonemployer businesses as a share of the working‐age population has been little studied relative to the decline of employer business rate in the United States. We show that local labor markets specializing in routine task‐intensive jobs have experienced a higher adoption of information technology as well as the growth of nonemployer businesses primarily through increasing self‐employment in nonroutine manual task‐intensive jobs that are less frequently outsourced to business service firms.

Bovine dairy production and diversity of regional dairy products sold in Presidente Médici markets - RO, Western Amazon

This study investigates bovine dairy production in Rondônia, as well as the availability of bovine dairy products produced in the state available in markets in the urban area of ​​Presidente Médici - RO. To this end, the SIDRA/IBGE Municipal Livestock Survey database was used, from 2015 to 2022; To assess the availability of dairy products, visits to markets were carried out. For the period analyzed, Rondônia emerges as the largest producer in the North Region, presenting its peak in 2018, with 1,160,198 liters, the state's contribution at national level is approximately 1.9%, the municipalities with the highest milk production were: Jaru, Machadinho do Oeste and Ouro Preto, respectively; the municipality of Presidente Médici ranked 11th with production of 212,913 liters. Regarding the commercialization of dairy products produced in the state, these were found in 100% of the markets, with cheese having the greatest diversity of types and manufacturers, followed by butter, yogurt, type C milk, UHT milk and dulce de leche, respectively. Dairy production in Rondônia and the municipality of Presidente Médici may be related to the need for genetic improvement of the herd, low technology and greater technical assistance to producers. With regard to dairy products available in the markets, it is clear that entrepreneurship through agroindustrialization is one of the economic strategies that integrate several stages of the production chain, adding value to the product, increasing the use of local labor, which contributes to reducing the rural exodus and increases the well-being and comfort of the families and communities involved.

The Challenges of Migration: Xenophobia and Discrimination from the Perspective of Orthodox Christian Theology

Although our country has so far been bypassed by an aggressive phenomenon of migration, as has been happening for several decades in the West, nevertheless, in recent years, more and more emigrants from various countries with severe economic problems (Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, Syria, Afghanistan, etc.) emigrated or were brought under employment contracts, to work in different fields of activity: construction, delivery, sanitation and others. The lack of local labour force, the majority of which emigrated, in turn, to the countries of the European Union, contributed significantly. This phenomenon comes with a series of challenges related to xenophobia, discrimination, racism, exploitation, abuse or even violence, generated by differences in mentality, culture, national identity or religion. From the perspective of the Orthodox Christian faith, we must address these challenges, referring to the landmarks we find in the Holy Scriptures and in patristic literature, trying to find those bridges of communication that could solve these problems.