Survey of Working Conditions, 1969-1970

This study contains data on the working conditions of 1,533 workers in the United States in the period 1969-1970. Among the major aims of this survey were: (1) assessment of the frequency and severity of work-related problems experienced by employed people in general and by major demographic and occupational subgroups, (2) development of valid measures of job satisfaction suitable for use with samples of workers in heterogenous occupations and under a variety of conditions, (3) assessment of the impact of working conditions upon the well-being of workers, (4) establishment of baseline statistics that might permit subsequent national surveys in order to reveal any trends in the content areas originally investigated, and 5) establishment of normative statistics that might permit other investigators to compare their data from more limited sub-samples of workers with national norms. Respondents were asked questions about many facets of their job situations and other areas of their lives that might be affected by their jobs. They were also asked a series of questions regarding their job expectations and if these expectations were met at their actual jobs. Additional questions probed respondents feelings about their relationship with their supervisors and their overall contentment with their jobs and with life in general. Also explored were areas such as workload, job tension, work difficulties, and age, race, and sex discrimination. The structured interview schedule contained both closed and open-ended questions. Many of the open-ended questions were directed at estimating the frequency and type of labor standards problems, such as those with unions, discrimination, physical working conditions, wages, and work schedules. Demographic variables provide information on age, sex, race, education, and income.