Better Jobs for Blacks

LABOR Better Jobs for Blacks Of all the indicators of racial inequality, none cause more concern than the proportionate share of unemployment between blacks and whites. Ever since 1953, there have been at least two blacks out of work for every jobless white. To compound the problem, blacks have usually been the last hired and the first fired, particularly during a recession. Last week the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the old formula is changing slightly. While the number of unemployed Americans rose last year by 1,200,000, to a total of 4,000,000, the racial ratios shifted a bit. All together 8.2% of the black workers were unemployed, and 4.5% of the white workers--a ratio of 1.8 to 1 instead of 2 to 1. One ironic reason for this improvement in the traditional mix is that blacks have not qualified for many skilled jobs in two of the industries that have been worst hurt in the economic slowdown: aerospace and munitions making. Instead, they have filled what have turned out to be quite recession-proof jobs in Government and service industries. Among all black workers, the percentage holding relatively secure white-collar jobs rose last year, from 26% to 28%, and the black professional and technical workers increased from 8.3% to 9.1%; the latter figure has almost doubled since 1960.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.