Trends in Labor Market Position for Puerto Ricans on the Mainland: 1970-1987

Abstract

Social and economic indicators for the Puerto Rican population on the US mainland showed continued decline in status during the 1970s and early 1980s. Using data from the 1970 and 1980 census and the 1987 Current Population Sun'ey, this article presents and discusses the trends behind the shift in the position of Puerto Ricans. Changes in labor force participation, employment, and average earnings for Puerto Rican males and females during the 1970s and the 1980s are discussed with attention to nativity and gentder differentials. Results show that the decline in socioeconomic status is not a untiversal trend within the Puerto Ricati population. Those born in Puerto Rico, males, those without high school education, and those above age 55 seem to face a critical situation. The experience of Puerto Rican males is different from that of females in that tltey continue to exhibit declining rates of labor force participation. On the other hand, there has been an increase in the representation of Puerto Ricans in the professional occupations. Structural changes in the economy have contributed to polarize the Puerto Rican labor force into skilled and nonskilled groups with the latter group rapidly withdrawing from the labor force.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Bean, F. , & Tienda, M. (1988). The Hispanic population in the United States. New York: Russell Sage Monograph Series.

DeFreitas, G. (1985). Ethnic differentials in unemployment among Hispanic Americans. In G. Borjas & M. Tienda (Eds.), Hispanics in the United States economy (pp. 127-157). New York: Academic Press.

Falc6n, L. M. (1991). Migration and development: The case of Puerto Rico. In S. Diaz-Briquets & S. Weintraub (Eds.), Determinants of emigration from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean (pp. 145-187). Boulder, CO: Westview.

Falc6n, L. M. , & Gurak, D. T. (in press). Dimensions of the Hispanic underclass in New York City. In J. Moore and R. Rivera (Eds.), The effects of economic restructuring on Latino Communities in the United States. Philadelphia: Temple University.

Falc6n, L M. , Gurak, D. T. , & Powers, M. G. (1988). Socio-economic correlates offemale-headship for Puerto Rican women in New York City. Paper presented at the annual meetings of the American Sociological Association, Atlanta, GA.

Friedlander, S. (1965). Labor migration and economic growth. Cambridge: MIT Press.

Handlin, O. (1959). The newcomers. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University.

History Task Force: Centro de Estudios Puertorriquenos. (1979). Labor migration under capitalism. New York: Monthly Review.

Hughes, J. W. , & Stemlieb, G. (1978). Jobs and people: New York City (1985). New Jersey: Center for Urban Policy Research.

10.

Maldonado-Dennis, M. (1980). The emigration dialectic: Puerto Rico and the USA. New York: International Publishers.

11.

Marshall, A. (1987). New immigrants in New York's economy. In N. Foner (Ed.), New immigrants in NVew York (pp. 79-101). New York: Columbia University Press.

12.

Meislin, R. (1987, October 11). How's New York doing? Much better. New York Times, sec. 12, p. 11-11.

13.

New York State Department of Social Services . (1989). Hispanic ADC recipients in New York City: Migration experiences, characteristics and attitudes. Albany, NY: Author.

14.

Ortiz, V. (1986). Changes in the characteristics of Puerto Rican migrants. International migration Review. 20, 612-628.

15.

Puerto Rico Planning Board . (1984). Caracteristicas de la Poblacion Migrante. Hato Rey, Puerto Rico: Junta de Planificacion.

16.

Ricketts, E. R. , & Mincy. R. B. (1990). Growth of the underclass: 1970-1980. Journal of Human Resources, 25. 137-145.

17.

Rodriguez, C. (1979). Economic survival in New York City. In Labor Migration Under Capitalism. New York: Monthly Review.

18.

Santana-Cooney, R. , & Colon-Warren, A. (1979). Declining female participation among Puerto Rican New Yorkers: A comparison with native White nonspanish New Yorkers." Ethnicity, 6, 281-297.

19.

Sassen, S. (1988). The mobilitv of labor and capital: A study in international investment and labor flow. New York: Cambridge University Press.

20.

Tienda, M. (1989). Puerto Ricans and the underclass debate. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 501, 105-119.

21.

Tienda, M. , & Jensen, L. (1986). Immigration and public assistance participation: Dispelling the myth of dependency. Social Science Research, 15, 372-400.

22.

Tienda, M. , & Jensen, L. (1988). Poverty and minorities: A quarter century profile of color and socioeconomic disadvantage. In G. D. Sandefur & M. Tienda (Eds.), Divided Opportunities: Minorities, Poverty, and Social Policy (pp. 23-61). New York: Plenum Press.

23.

Tienda, M. , Jensen, L. , & Bach, R. L. 1985. Immigration, gender and the process of occupational change in thze United States, 1970-1980 (CDE Working Paper 85-1). Madison, WI: Center for Demography and Ecology.

24.

Torres, A. (1988a). Explaining Puerto Rican poverty. Centro Bulletin, 2(2), 9-21. (Centro de Estudios Puertorriquenos).

25.

Torres, A. (1 988b). Human capital, labor segmentation and inter-minority relative status: Blacks and Puerto Ricans in New York City, 1960-1980. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. New York: New School for Social Research.

26.

U.S. Bureau of the Census . (1972). Public use samples of basic records: Descriptions and technical documentation. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

27.

U.S. Bureau of the Census . (1983). Census of population and housing, 1980: Public use microdata samples technical documentation. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

28.

U.S. Bureau of the Census . (1987). Current Population Survey, March 1987 Tape Technical Documentation. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

29.

U.S. Bureau of the Census . (1991). Current Population Reports (Series P-20, No. 449, The Hispanic Population in the United States: Marc/i 1990). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

30.

U.S. Department of Labor . (1975). A socio-economic profile of Puerto Rican New Yorkers. Washington, DC: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

31.

Waldinger, R. (1985). Immigration and industrial change in the New York City apparel industry. In G. Borjas & M. Tienda (Eds.), Hispanics in the United States economy (pp. 299-322). New York: Academic Press.