Blue Collars Are Turning Pink

Throughout U.S. history, the dominant images of the American breadwinner have been the burly fellow who toils in factory and field and the executive who reports to work in a three-piece suit. But the times they are achangin', and fast. New figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that in 1983 white male workers became a minority for the first time in the country's history. They now make up 49.3% of the civilian labor force, down from 62.5% 30 years ago.

The percentage of blacks and other minority-group members among workers has increased from 10.7% to 13% since 1954. Far more dramatic, though, has been the rise for women, who have gone from 30.9% of the work force to 43.5% in the past three decades. This trend has reflected women's new freedom and a shift away from agriculture and manufacturing to a more service-oriented economy. Women are enjoying greater opportunities both in executive ranks and in such traditional fields as nursing and secretarial work, where job growth is strong. The feminization of the labor force will continue. The BLS predicts that between now and 1995 nearly two-thirds of all new workers will be women.