Unskilled Workers Research Articles

[Healthier at work for longer? Trends in life years free of cardiovascular and musculoskeletal diseases in the employed and general population based on health insurance claims data].

Our study focuses on the development of disease-free life years of two disease groups with high public health relevance: musculoskeletal diseases (MSD) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Against the backdrop of prolonged working lives, the development of disease-free life years in the working-age population is compared with the trend in the employed population. Differences between occupational groups are also examined. The study is based on data from the statutory health insurance provider AOK Lower Saxony (N = 2,001,225). Incident cases were identified based on the diagnosis data. The expected years free of MSD and CVD were calculated using multistate life table analysis for three periods between 2006 and 2018. The occupational group is identified via the occupational key. Three groups are distinguished: unskilled and semi-skilled workers, skilled workers and specialists, and highly skilled workers. Life years free of MSD clearly decreased in the general population and among the employed population. The decrease was strongest in the higher-skilled occupational groups. Life years free of CVD increased in the general population. The increase was weaker among the employed population. The only occupational group showing increases were men in unskilled and semi-skilled occupations. The study shows that disease-free life years among employed persons developed in some cases worse than in the general population. For the analysed disease groups MSD and CVD, there are clear inequalities between occupational groups, which decreased somewhat over time. The inequalities and the decrease in years free of MSD highlight the high public health relevance and the need for effective prevention strategies to prevent CVD and MSD in working age.

Territorial comparative advantage, wage inequality, and monetary policy in the global world

We analyze the effects of trade under relocations from an innovator to a follower region in a context with region-specific monetary policy and long-run inflation. We propose an endogenous growth model of two regions with intermediate goods of different skill intensities that are traded internationally. We show that the greater the benefits of relocations, the greater the territorial comparative advantage of followers. The better worldwide allocation of production due to relocations releases resources for R&D activities, increasing internationally available technological knowledge. In both regions, this ensures an increase in wage levels of skilled and unskilled workers and in economic growth. The structural stance of monetary policy in the follower region affects the optimal value of reallocations, but not the worldwide economic growth and skill premium. Yet, the monetary policy of the innovator region may penalize worldwide growth and impact the skill premium. Dynamic effects of relocations, under certain conditions, increase the skill premium in both regions.

Redistributive Capital Taxation Revisited

This paper uses a rich quantitative model with endogenous skill acquisition to show that capital-skill complementarity provides a quantitatively significant rationale to tax capital for redistributive governments. The optimal capital income tax rate is 67 percent, while it is 61 percent in an identically calibrated model without capital-skill complementarity. The skill premium falls from 1.9 to 1.84 along the transition following the optimal reform in the capital-skill complementarity model, implying substantial indirect redistribution from skilled to unskilled workers. These results show that a redistributive government should take into account capital-skill complementarity when taxing capital. (JEL D31, H21, H23, H24, H25, J24, J31)

Labour market dynamics in the era of technological advancements: The system-wide impacts of labour augmenting technological change

The employment impact of future technological change is much debated. Some commentators predict devastating job losses, while others are more sanguine, claiming that technological change raises living standards without reducing total employment. Our analysis a use a combination of partial equilibrium and dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) analysis with neo-Keynesian characteristics. These models are employed to assess the implications of skill-biased labour-augmenting technological change. They are calibrated on recent German Social Accounting Matrix data and parameterised using the best available empirical results from developed economies. The numerical CGE multi-sectoral model simulates the system-wide impacts of pervasive technical change affecting all sectors of the economy. The model allows investigation of alternative scenarios based around a common economic structure and set of parameter values. The results suggest that labour-augmenting technological change typically stimulates GDP growth and long-run total employment. However, there are negative short- and medium-run employment and real wage implications which might require government policy intervention. The simulations indicate that for open developed economies, improving the efficiency of skilled workers, as opposed to unskilled workers, is the most beneficial. This improvement has positive long-run impacts that are spread across both skill classifications. On the other hand, increasing the efficiency of the unskilled produces negative impacts on skilled employment and real wages. Additionally, the openness of the economy to migration and trade are important in determining the scale of these system-wide effects.

Unskilled Migration and Vertical Disintegration: Theory and Evidence from China

This paper studies how rural-urban migration in China affects the vertical disintegration of firms. We construct a theoretical model and find that the inflow of rural migrants increases the output of firms in urban areas. This leads to a higher degree of vertical disintegration of firms due to the decreasing returns to scale. We also find that the wage of skilled workers relative to that of unskilled workers in urban areas is increased with rural migrants as the vast majority of rural migrants are unskilled. Our empirical findings are consistent with our model predictions using China’s population census and manufacturing firm-level data in 2005.

Echoes of Conflict: Exploring the Parallels Between The Red Badge of Courage and the Socioeconomic Dynamics of Post-Civil War America

This article is an attempt to analyze The Red Badge of Courage as a socio-political allegory of the period in which it was written. Two facts cannot be ignored when characterizing post-Civil War America: one of them is the rise of industrial production with the support of scientific developments and subsequent economic expansion. The other is the increasing migration due to the economic destruction in the South and higher standards of living promised by the industrial cities of the North. In this period, changes in production techniques created an advantage in favor of employers in wage competition. Therefore, factory owners began to prefer unskilled migrant workers instead of skilled workers and this also increased the intensity of urbanization. While rapid population growth turned the cities into industrial jungles, life for the rural migrant workers, who were destitute of supportive social networks, was no different than a battlefield of problems. It was at such a time that the novel was written, and the 304th infantry regiment, made up of young and inexperienced soldiers in the story, is in many ways reminiscent of young industrial workers.

The impact of ICT and e-commerce on employment in Colombia

This study presents new empirical evidence regarding the impact of e-commerce adoption on employment in Colombia, a developing economy. We use firm-level data from the Annual Manufacturing Survey between 2013 and 2018 and differentiate the workforce by skill level and type of contract. We also use multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) to construct a parsimonious set of instrumental variables to account for the endogeneity of e-commerce. Our main finding is that an increase of 1% in the degree of e-commerce penetration increases demand for skilled workers by 0.2% and does not have a negative impact in the demand for unskilled workers. We then delve deep into the evidence and test for complementarity or substitution between skilled labor and ICT capital related to e-commerce implementation by employing a new and specific theoretical framework, which is empirically assessed. Our results confirm that highly skilled workers benefit the most from the introduction of e-commerce and its associated ICTs into a company, exhibiting a high degree of complementarity compared to unskilled workers. Thus, our findings support the hypothesis that ICT utilization and e-commerce adoption lead to labor substitution, particularly for low skill workers. This study recommends that policymakers invest in skill development to meet e-commerce demands, focusing on both upskilling workers to enhance digital literacy and implementing targeted support programs for a smooth transition to the digital economy across all skill levels.

Characteristics of Work-related Fatal Injuries Among Aged Workers in Republic of Korea

ObjectivesThe present paper aimed to examine whether an aging workforce is associated with an increase in work-related fatal injuries and to explore the underlying reasons for this potential increase. Material and methodsAged workers were defined as those who were at least 55 years old. Work-related fatalities were assessed in aged and young workers who were registered with the workers' compensation system in 2021 in the Republic of Korea. Total waged workers, based on raw data from the Local Area Labor Force Survey in 2021, were used as the denominator to estimate the work-related fatality rates. ResultsMost work-related fatalities in the aged workers occurred among individuals working in the “construction sector” (58.9%), those with “elementary occupations (unskilled workers)” (46.1%), and those with the employment status of “daily worker” (60.8%). The estimated incidence (1.782/10,000) of work-related fatalities among aged workers was about four times higher than that (0.423/10,000) among younger workers. “Falling,” “collision,” “struck by an object,” and “trip and slip” were more frequent types of work-related fatalities among aged workers relative to young workers. The category of “buildings, structures, and surfaces” was a more frequent cause of work-related fatalities among aged workers than among young workers. ConclusionsAged workers had a higher incidence of work-related fatalities than young workers. Frequent engagement in precarious employment and jobs, coupled with the greater physical vulnerability of aged workers, were likely causes of their higher level of work-related fatal injuries.

Working from home: Too much of a good thing?

We develop a general equilibrium model with skilled workers who can and unskilled workers who cannot work from home (WFH). Firms choose the amount of time they require workers in the office, whereas workers choose to either work on-site or hybrid, splitting working time between office and home. The endogenous work arrangements determine productivity, wages, and demand for residential and commercial real estate. We find that firms ‘outsource’ workers to their homes to save on real estate costs, and in doing so push beyond the WFH share that maximizes skilled workers’ productivity. This effect is more pronounced if land-use regulations are strict, thus showing another channel through which the latter may reduce productivity. More efficient information and telecommunication technologies allow firms to shift office expenditures toward skilled workers who invest more in home working space. In a nutshell, WFH may well be the ‘new margin of offshoring’ for firms.

Oral and Periodontal Manifestation of Smokeless Tobacco (SLT) Users in Khartoum Locality 2022-2023

Back ground: Smokeless Tobacco (SLT) can cause oral mucosal lesions such as keratosis, gingival inflammation, periodontal inflammation, alveolar bone damage, dental caries, tooth abrasion, staining of tooth structure, dysplasia, and oral cancer. Tobacco has been linked to severe consequences for overall health. Objective: To identify the oral and periodontal manifestation of smokeless tobacco (SLT) users in Khartoum locality. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional hospital based study was done among 80current smokeless tobacco patients attending the outpatients and periodontology clinic in ACTH (Academy Charity Teaching Hospita), KDTH(Khartoum Dental Teaching Hospital), and alhekmah health center from January to March 2023, patients undergo oral examination after obtaining an informed consent, data collected using online Google form, pretested questionnaire and interviews. Data collected using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and analyzed by SPSS version 23. Results: The study included mostly male participants (97.5%), aged 18-29 years old (31.3%). With lower education levels (31.3%). and working as unskilled workers (47.5%). Most participants put the snuff at buccal mucosa (42.5%), used for less than 10 years (41.3%), for 1-5 minutes (52.5%), and 1 pack per day (56.3%). The majority had dental caries (66.3%) with class I predominance (53.8%), inflammation (97.5%), recession (67.5%), staining (78.8%), and halitosis (73.8%). Mucosal hypertrophy was the most common mucosal change (71.3%). There was a statistical association between start time and plaque index (P value = 0.008), and quantity in packs and pocket depth (P value = 0.013). Conclusions: The study revealed that SLT has sever and considerable adverse effects on oral health and periodontal tissues.

Survey and analysis of accessibility, availability, and affordability of topical glaucoma medicines.

Affordability and availability of medicines is a growing global challenge for health-care systems. Access to medicines is recognized as an important determinant of treatment adherence. The access to glaucoma medicines and how it affects glaucoma management are not known. The purpose of this study was to determine the availability, affordability, and accessibility of topical intraocular pressure (IOP) -lowering eye drops in Haryana state of northern India using the World Health Organization (WHO)/Health Action International (HAI) methods. A cross-sectional study was done to collect data on prices and availability of glaucoma topical medications in public and private sector pharmacies and retail outlets using the WHO/HAI methodology between October 2021 and January 2022. The availability and affordability of topical glaucoma medicines was determined. Comparison of the local price with international prices was done by calculating the median price ratio (MPR). A total of 191 facilities were randomly sampled across 11 (n = 55) urban, 29 (n = 92) semi-urban, and 44 (n = 44) rural places during the study period. The availability of topical medication for glaucoma was low (35.7 ± 22.3) across all sampled sites and all classes of topical glaucoma medications. The median price of topical medication and availability were negatively correlated, Pearson's coefficient r (18) = -0.44, P 0.05, though the relationship was weak. A lowest paid, unskilled Indian government worker must spend between 15% and 203% of their daily wage to acquire a glaucoma medication. The availability and accessibility of topical glaucoma medications was low in this survey.

International linkages and female share of employment: Plant-level evidence from a developing country

This paper examines the relationship between international linkages (i.e. exporting, importing, and foreign direct investment) and the share of skilled, unskilled, and total female workers employed in Indonesian manufacturing plants. We utilize plant-level panel data and estimation procedures that account for endogeneity and selection issues to achieve the study objective. Our analysis suggests that foreign ownership and exporting activities lead to a higher share of both skilled and unskilled female employment. However, these effects are more substantial for skilled female workers than for unskilled female workers. The results are robust to the use of different econometric methods and empirical specifications.

Dynamic Relationship Between Informal Sector and Unemployment: A Mathematical Model

Shortage of formal jobs, lack of skills in workforce and increasing human population proliferate the informal sector. This sector provides an opportunity to unskilled workers to gain skills along with earnings. In this paper, a deterministic nonlinear mathematical model is developed to study the effects of informal skill learning and job generation on unemployment. For the formulated system, feasibility of equilibria and their stability properties are discussed. A pertinent quantity ([Formula: see text]), known as the reproduction number, is calculated and it is shown that the formulated system undergoes transcritical, saddle-node, Hopf and Bogdanov–Takens bifurcations on the variation of [Formula: see text]. The analytically obtained results are validated through numerical simulations. The results obtained from this study indicate that a substantial rate of job generation by self-employed individuals has a stabilizing effect on the system. Moreover, self-employment along with informal skill acquisition through engaging in informal work proves to be an effective measure in curbing the issue of unemployment in society.

Factors affecting work-related non-fatal injuries among aged workers in South Korea.

The objective of this paper is to investigate whether an aging workforce is associated with an increase in work-related non-fatal injuries and to explore the underlying reasons for this potential increase. Aged workers were defined as those who were at least 55-years-old. Work-related non-fatal injuries were assessed in aged and young workers who were registered with the workers' compensation system from 2017 to 2021 of South Korea. The mean estimated rate of work-related non-fatal injuries of aged workers (0.88/100) was about 2.5-times higher than that of younger workers (0.35/100). Most work-related non-fatal injuries in the older adults were in individuals working in the "construction sector" (36.0%), those with "elementary occupations (unskilled workers)" (45.0%), and those with employment status of "daily worker" (44.0%). "Trip & slip" (28.7%) and "falling" (19.6%) were more frequent types of work-related non-fatal injuries in aged workers relative to young workers. The category of "buildings, structures, and surfaces" was a more frequent cause of work-related non-fatal injuries in aged workers than young workers. The incidence of non-fatal work-related injuries is higher among aged workers compared to their younger counterparts. The increased occurrence of aged workers participating in precarious employment and jobs, along with the greater physical vulnerability, is likely the cause of their higher rate of work-related non-fatal injuries.

A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY OF PSYCHOSIS AND PERSONALITY PROFILE IN PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH ALCOHOL USE DISORDER

Objectives: The objectives of the study are (1) to study personality profile in patients diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and (2) to study incidence of psychosis in patients with AUD. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the department of psychiatry of a tertiary care medical college. 70 patients presenting with a history of alcohol intake underwent diagnosis according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) criteria for AUD were enrolled in the study on the basis of pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Post a 2-week detoxification period, psychiatric symptoms encompassing depression, anxiety, hallucinations, and unusual behavior were assessed using the brief psychiatric rating scale (BPRS), while personality profiles were evaluated with the NEO Personality Inventory-3. Alcohol dependence levels were measured using the Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire. Results: There were 60 (85.71%) males and 10 (14.29%) females. There was a significant male preponderance in studied cases with M:F ratio of 1:0.16. Highest number of patients, i.e., 63 (90%) patients were married, followed by 4 (5.71%) patients were unmarried and 3 (4.29%) patients were divorced. Among 70 studied cases, 5 (7.14%) patients were found to have some or the other degree of psychotic symptoms. There was a significant correlation between being unskilled worker and having low literacy or low income and AUD (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant association between severity of AUD and education (p=0.70), occupation (p=0.94), income (p=0.84), and family history of alcohol consumption (p=0.58). Participants have mild severity shown low to average score on neuroticism, average scores on extraversion, very low to low scores on openness, high to very high scores on agreeableness, and high to very high scores on conscientiousness. Conclusion: We found a significant correlation of AUD with increasing age, male gender, early alcohol initiation, and prolonged dependence. Lower education and unskilled occupations were also linked to AUD. Personality trait analysis revealed distinct patterns based on the severity of physical dependency.

ОПЛАТА ПРАЦІ В ДЕРЖАВНОМУ СЕКТОРІ: СОЦІАЛЬНО-ОБЛІКОВІ АСПЕКТИ

The article concept the peculiarities of remuneration in the public sector of Ukraine, which is built on the basis of the application of tariff rates approved in the Unified tariff grid of grades and coefficients. It is noted that salaries in the public sector mostly do not meet the level of qualification requirements for personnel and cannot provide a decent level of remuneration. The single tariff grid consists of 25 tariff categories. The lowest is the first tariff category, accordingly, the tariff rate for the first category is the lowest and increases according to the increase in the employee’s tariff category. The amount of the tariff rate for the first tariff category is established annually in accordance with the size of the subsistence minimum for able-bodied citizens for the relevant budget year. Determination of the amount of official salaries of employees is established by multiplying the amount of the tariff rate of the first category by the corresponding tariff coefficient. It was found that the salaries of employees of 1-11 tariff categories determined in this way are lower than the approved amount of the minimum wage. Accordingly, such employees are paid additional wages up to the minimum level. This means that skilled and unskilled workers receive the same minimum wage. Such a situation does not stimulate staff to quality work. They are trying to correct the situation through additional payments and bonuses. But bonuses should be awarded for high achievements in work and be a way of encouraging employees. It is emphasized the need to bring the tariff rate of the first tariff category of the Unified Tariff Grid to the level of the minimum wage. The determination of the salaries of employees should be based on an increase in wages in accordance with the increase in their level of responsibility. This approach will be able to ensure a fair differentiation of the salaries of the personnel of state institutions depending on the working conditions, the level of qualification and the level of responsibility of the employees of the budget sector. In addition, a proposal is made to change organizational approaches to the system of material incentives and bonuses for public sector employees.

The Effect of Length of Service in a Thermal Environment on Thermal Comfort and Mental Stress

An inappropriate thermal environment negatively impacts workers, causing mental stress and safety accidents. Unskilled workers are more vulnerable to industrial accidents and thermal stress compared with skilled workers due to suboptimal and unfamiliar work. Previous studies have focused on individual characteristics (such as gender, age, and race), with limited emphasis on the thermal comfort sensation. This study identified the preferred thermal environment according to work experience and how mental stress differed between unskilled and skilled workers by examining their thermal comfort sensation. Predicted mean vote (PMV) was used as an indicator of the thermal environment, and five environments were constructed for PMV: −2, −1, 0, 1, and 2. Participants were recruited among current workers and the public. Mental stress and thermal comfort sensation were assessed using heart rate variability and thermal comfort vote, respectively. This study demonstrated that the skilled group experienced higher mental stress and a lower thermal comfort sensation. Contrastingly, in the sensitivity analysis, the unskilled group exhibited greater sensitivity to changes in the thermal environment. Through a comprehensive analysis, this study derived an optimal PMV range for each group. The findings can provide a reference for configuring the optimal thermal environment of the workplace.

SETIATI SURASTO DALAM PERJUANGAN BURUH PEREMPUAN PADA 1940AN-1960AN

This research discusses the views and roles of Setiati Surasto in improving the fate of women labour between the 1940s and 1960s. This study stems from companies’ or employers’ discrimination that always considers female labour as cheap labour from time to time. Women labour were seen as unskilled workers, feasibly exploited and not appreciated. Consequently, women labour experiences discrimination in various forms, ranging from wages to violations of their rights. This study used historical research methods in which newspapers and magazines were primary sources. The findings indicate that the inequality that they experience generates women’s agency and activism. Setiati Surasto was one of the activists who voiced her views on equality and welfare for women labour through writing and direct action. This research has filled the gaps in Indonesian historiography, especially by presenting the biography of a women’s labour activist during the early period of Indonesian independence.

Examining Career Transitioning among Students with Specific Learning Disabilities

The career transitioning of students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) has not been commendable. People with SLD are overrepresented in unskilled work and underrepresented in managerial and professional occupations as compared to their non-disabled peers. This research paper discusses the career transitioning of students with SLD with regard to existing research concerning knowledge, attitudes and perceptions about these students. It examined ways of preparing and supporting students with SLD towards their transition into the world of work. Additionally, it examined how important career transitioning is for students who have SLD. Stronger social networks, improved self-esteem, avoiding stigma, and potential lifetime advantages including better incomes and independent living as some of the relevance of career transitioning for students with SLD. The paper highlights the need for students with SLD to receive support and guidance from their parents, teachers, school administrators, peers, counselors, and other stakeholders in order to obtain stable careers for the future. Further research is required to strengthen the literature that already exists on this topic.

Rent–wage inequality in Mexico City, 1770–1930

AbstractThis article traces trends of income inequality in Mexico City from 1770 to 1930 by measuring the gaps between urban real estate rents and unskilled wages. The article presents the first long‐term series of real estate values and rental income for Mexico. One series summarizes the price of an apartment in tenement housing (the prevalent type of popular housing in Mexico), while the other relies on newspaper ads, notarial records, and other sources to estimate property values and rental yield (rental revenue relative to property values). From these wage and rental income series, we calculate rental–wage ratios that are broadly representative of the income gaps between the wealthy and unskilled workers. We find that, at the end of the eighteenth century, inequality moderately increased, followed by a more egalitarian period in the first half of the nineteenth century, and a ballooning in the last quarter of the nineteenth century that persisted into 1930. While inequality receded after the insurrection in the 1810s, it remained high after the Mexican Revolution. We hypothesize that inequality was sensitive to economic growth, and that generalized violence did not universally temper inequality.