DOUBLE‐JOBHOLDING: A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF SCOTLAND
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9485.1971.tb00976.x |
| Date | 01 February 1971 |
| Author | Jeremy Alden |
| Published date | 01 February 1971 |
DOUBLE-JOBHOLDING:
A REGIONAL ANALYSIS
OF
SCOTLAND
JEREMY
ALDEN
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this article is to look at the results of a regional analysis
of double-jobholding in Scotland; to describe the findings
of
a sample
survey undertaken in Midlothian to elicit socio-economic characteristics of
people holding more than one job; and to assess some of the main economic
implications of double-jobholding, a subject which has hithero been virtually
unexplored in this country.
Recent projections of the labour force in the United Kingdom suggest
that the natural increase of the labour force until the
1980's
will be inadequate
to meet the demand for labour (Department of Employment and Produc-
tivity,
1969).
A considerable amount of interest has been shown in the United
Kingdom
in
tapping reserves of labour to contribute towards faster economic
growth, and increasing attention has been paid to the reduction of unemploy-
ment, the increase of activity rates, the entrance of young people into the
labour market for the first time, and migration. Emphasis has been placed
on
these components of the potential labour supply by the National
Econo-
mic
Development Council and the Labour government
in
its
1965
National
Plan. Within Scotland, these aspects were covered in both the White Papers of
1963
and
1966
(Scottish Development Department,
1963
and
1966).
How-
ever, one particular aspect of the active labour force has been neglected in
this country. This category consists of double-jobholders, or
'
moonlighters
'
(to use an American term).'
The findings of the research studies
on
double-jobholding
in
the U.S.A.
suggest that this aspect of the labour force justifies being considered in this
country.
A
REGIONAL
ANALYSIS
For the first time, in the
1966 10
per cent. sample Census of Population
for the country as a whole, people were asked whether they had mme than
one paid job. The findings are available in an unpublished section of the
1
From the articles published
in
the
Monrhly
Labor
Review
(see
for example
the
reports of the annual survey undertaken in May of each year and published
in
the
following February/March) issued by the United
States
Department of Labour. it
has been found that multiple jobholders make up about
5
per
cent.
of all employed
workers in the U.S.A. The American studies also provide some economic and social
characteristics of double-jobbing.
In
the U.S.A. the typical moonlighter has been
found to be a family man between
25
and
44
years old working part-time
on
his
second job in an industry
or
occupation different from that of
his
first job.
His
motives
have been found to be primarily financial.
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