Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The aim of these studies is to examine the positions of the low paid, the subemployed (men and women unemployed for over 4 weeks in the last 12 months), the disabled and immigrants in two local labour markets. There were two main sources of data: 1) All members not in full-time education and under 71 of a simple random sample of households in 2 urban areas (230). 2) Follow-up survey of all individuals in 1, who fell into any one of four special categories (231). i) low paid (less than 55p for males over 18, less than 35p for females over 18) ii) subemployed (unemployed for more than 4 weeks in last 12 months) iii) disabled iv) immigrants (not born in UK or Eire)

Main Topics:

Attitudinal/Behavioural Questions Additional information to SN:230 collected for job leaving/getting, difficulty finding work (reasons). Occupation: job situation (i.e. large/small firms); relative importance of jobs; importance of own job; number in same job, (as a proportion of the labour force); attitude of others to respondent's job; workmates (friendliness and support during dispute); groups which could offer support; attitude to foreman; effect of strike action on rest of firm; unpaid holiday; whether shop steward at work is approachable; whether full-time trade union official known; frequency of contact; satisfaction with union; management's awareness of problems; examples of management behaviour; frequency of contact with management; which management level referred to; attention given to job by management. Usual occupation type, whether current job is of suitable type, reasons for acceptance of job, attitude to usual occupation/not having usual occupation. Income: composition (i.e. bonus, overtime); length of time since last increase; % increase; whether considered fair (reasons); earnings relative to others; attitude to workplace differentials; whether considered necessary (reasons); attitude to national inequality; specific groups mentioned. Whether looking for another job (reasons), length of unemployment in last 2 years, number of jobs (permanent and temporary) in last 2 years. Location and type of work sought, attitude to commuting/working away/moving (reasons for any unwillingness), extent of job search, number of applications made, number of jobs rejected (reasons), method of search, contact with Government Training Centre, changes in intensity of search. Minimum wage (reasons), job offers below minimum wage, employment exchange reaction to job refusals, time spent seeking job, reason if no search being made, number of interviews, confidence in finding work (reasons), reasons for continued search, unemployment status, anxiety about unemployment. Change while unemployed: time spent out of home; frequency of visiting relatives/friends; leisure time activities; treatment by others. Attitude of immediate family to unemployment, difficulty with family life, what missed most from work. Number of relatives/friends subemployed, type of work done by relatives/friends. Knowledge and experience of irregular economy, residential mobility and reasons for moves in last 10 years, satisfaction with current accommodation, reasons for dissatisfaction, reasons considered moving. Special Questions for the Disabled Details of disability, frequency of contact with doctor, main type of illness, reason illness started, mobility out of house, help received, satisfaction with service, aids for problems, source of aids, usefulness of services in finding work, extra expenses, cost per week, financial help. Registration with local authority, whether employer knows about health, source of information, wish for employer to know. Discussion of health at work, special provisions, suitability of job, effect of health on work. Registration with employment exchange, number of relatives with jobs/unemployed, occupational status of 3 relatives, number of relatives seen but living outside the area, relationship of main source of help to respondent. Management of household expenses, change in budgeting when unemployed, financial difficulties, registered as unemployed, treatment by employment exchange, loss of unemployment benefit, income during last week of employment, income during last 12 months of unemployment, household income. Nervous symptoms, length of most important illness. Proof of registration as disabled person, whether DRO has given help in job-seeking, whether DRO knowledgeable about local jobs, usefulness of registration, still on register, other intervening organisations, receiving social security, when first applied (reasons), time without benefit, whether visited, treatment by officials, knowledge of EN grants, whether received, amount in last 12 months, loss of supplementary benefit, attendance at local authority centre for handicapped, whether helped in job-seeking, contact with social workers.

Simple random sample

from electoral registers

Face-to-face interview