SECONDARY LABOR FORCE MOBILITY IN FOUR MIDWESTERN SHOE TOWNS.

Most men, from their early twenties to middle sixties, are permanently wedded to the labor force—"for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer." The attachment of many women to the labor force, on the other hand, is far less permanent—perhaps reflecting a lady's right to change her mind! In any event, the working population is divided into two basic groups: those who remain in the labor force constantly from initial entrance to retirement and those who move in and out during their lifetimes with varying degrees of frequency. Members of this latter group, labeled here the "secondary labor force," perform a vital function, for they provide a flexible element in the labor supply, entering paid employment when needed and withdrawing from industry when their services are no longer required. Despite the important role of secondary workers, however, much needs yet to be done in identifying them, measuring their numbers, and analyzing their motivations and behavior. This article undertakes to provide a system for classifying and identifying primary and secondary workers and analyzes the characteristics and labor market behavior of secondary workers in four non-metropolitan communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]