The Affluent Worker in the Class Structure: a Digitised - ESDS

20 Pages·2009·0.74 MB·English

UK Data Archive

Study Number 4871

The Affluent Worker in the Class Structure: a Digitised Sample of
the Luton Study, 1961-1962

USER GUIDE
Affluent Worker Study 1961-62: A digitised sample
User Guide
The following explanatory notes refer to tables within the
AffluentWorkerDigitisedSample.mdb database.
All tables:
[] are used to highlight clarifications given by the data inputter, Dr Hilary Young, or
(more commonly) to identify words or phrases that are illegible on the original
questionnaires.

Gaps in the original questionnaires are replicated here.

Wife is abbreviated to ‘W’ and Husband to ‘H’ where necessary, as in questions that
they both answer. This follows the format of the original questionnaire.
Duration of jobs, housing tenure etc is often given in years, following the format of
the original questionnaire. ‘0’ is used for less than 12 months. Often no figure appears
in the questionnaire if length of time is less than 12 months.

Vx is an abbreviation of Vauxhall, reproduced from the original questionnaires.

Work T06:
‘NA’ is inputted into 12From and 12To where no dates are given on the questionnaire.
Affluent Worker digitised sample

Contextual information
This ACCESS database was produced by Dr Selina Todd and Dr Hilary Young in
2008 as part of an ESRC-funded project on ‘Living standards, social identities and the
English working class, 1945-1970’, RES-061-23-0032-A. It comprises digitised
versions of 30 Vauxhall workers’ interviews held in the Affluent Worker collection at
the National Social Policy and Social Change Archive, University of Essex.

Data collection
The records represent a sample of 30 Vauxhall, Skefco and Laporte workers’
interviews held in the Affluent Worker collection at the National Social Policy and
Social Change Archive. The interviews are taken from the Luton Study, Boxes 01 and
02. Within these boxes, 30 workers’ questionnaires were selected according to having
eligible handwriting and follow-up home interviews as well as the initial interview in
the workplace. The married, male workers were all interviewed twice: once at home
and once at work. The data are held in an ACCESS database and are collated into
tabular form. The datasets replicate the structure of the questionnaires used in the
original Affluent Worker study.

Dataset structure
Number of interviewees: 30
Number of questionnaires used: 60 (one at home, one at work)
Number of ACCESS tables: 39
Number of variables: 464
Variables and values
The unique identifier InterviewNo links the tables and the home data to the work data.
The interviewees were ascribed a Work Interview No for their work interview. The
variables replicate those used in the original Affluent Worker investigation. The
relationships between tables are highlighted by the Relationships window within the
database.

Each variable relates to one question from the original questionnaire. The question
(variable description) appears in the lefthand bottom corner of the screen when the
variable is clicked on. By going into Design view one can read the full variable
description.

Data source
ESDS SN 4871 Affluent Worker in the Class Structure, 1961-1962.

Confidentiality and anonymisation
The data are not anonymised. They replicate the original paper dataset. Individuals’
full names and addresses were not included in the original dataset and are not
included here. However, street addresses and family names do appear in several
variables.

Validation checks
Street, place and personal names were standardised by the original investigators. Care
has been taken to retain original spellings.
Originating project
The originating project and its related documentation can be found at SN 4871
Affluent Worker in the Class Structure, 1961-1962. This project resulted in several
publications, most significantly J.M. Goldthorpe et al, The Affluent Worker in the
Class Structure (Cambridge, 1969).
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The interview schedules
Whereverdatafromouriuterviewingprogrammehasbeenpresentedinthetext,
we have followed the practiceofgiving in the text, or in afootnote to it, the
wordingofthequestionsfromwhichthedatawerederived.Thepresentappen
dix supplements this information by setting out our two main interviewing
schedulesinalmostcompleteform.Whathasbeenomitted,forreasonsofspace,
arethevariouschartsor'grids'onwhichtheresponsestoanumberofquestions
were recorded and, in some cases, simultaneouslycoded. Atvarious points we
haveaddedexplanatorynotes,whicharecontainedinsquarebrackets.Thenotes
.in italics are instructions to the interviewer which appeared on the original
schedules. Q!testions marked with an asterisk are those which were brought
together to form the interviewschedule for our white-collar sample. In some
few instances theirwordingwas modifiedslightlyso as to make them appro
priateforwhite-collarrespondents.
1 Itmaybeobservedthatnoresultshavebeenpresentedinthisorotherreports
onourresearchfromseveral·items included inourschedules. The reasons for
1
i suchomissionsvary.Forexample,insomecaseseitherthequestionsputorthe
..
problemsonwhichtheywereintended tothrowlightwerenotwell-conceived
R and theinformation producedwasthus oflittleuse. Inother cases, theresults
I'
I areofinterestbutwehavesimplynotfounditpossibletoincorporatetheminto
the Structureofthereporrswehave produced. Availabletabulations ofresults
fromalltheitemsinquestionmaybehadonapplicationtotheauthors.
WORK SCHEDULE
Date:
Number:
Section I: Work history
In this section distinguish carefully 'job' in the sense ofworkingfor a specific
firm andin the sense ofthe actualwork-task carriedout.
I. WhendidyoufirstcometoworkhereatVauxhall/Skefko/Laporte?
2. Since then, have you ever left, either ofyour own accord or because of
redundancy?
If'Yes':Whenwasthat?
Why?
When did you come back?
3· HaveyoueverworkedanywhereexceptVauxhall/Skefko/Laporte?
If'No':movetoquestionS.
If'Yes':askquestion4.
202
4. (a) Whatwasthelastjobyou did before coming herein[date last joined 3. Doyoupreferthe jobyou'redoingnowtoothersyouhavedoneinVaux-
presentfirm]. hall/Skefko/LaporteI
(i) Nameoffirm I['Yes':WhyisthatI
(ii) Location offirm I['No':WhichofyourotherjobsdidyoupreferI
(iii) Actualtypeofjob WhyI
(iv) Skilllevel 4. Ask all. Are there any othershop-floor jobs in Vauxhall/Skefko/Laporte
(v) Indusny whichyouwouldratherdothanyourownI
(h) Whatwerethemain jobsyouhad beforethat;saythoseyou had fora I['Yes':WhataretheyI
yearormoreISpeeifybyaetualtypeofjob. . Why would you prefer thoseI
(i) earliest HaveyoueverthoughtofaskingtobetransferredtooneofthesejobsI
(ii) I['Yes':HaveyoudoneanythingaboutitISpeeify
(iii) If'No' or uneertain: Doyouthinkyourjobisoneofthebestgoing
(iv) thenI
(v)
• S.Hand eard. Here are some ofthethings often thoughtimportantabout a
(vi)
job:whichonewouldyoulookforfirstiuajobIAndwhichnextI
Promptifneeessaryremilitaryserviceandjobdoneinforees.
Interestandvariety
(e) And how many different jobs have you had altogether since starting
Goodpayandthechanceofplentyofovertime
work including your present oneI Ifman is in doubt-say'wellroughly
Goodworkmates
then'.
I Asupervisorwhodoesn'tbreathedownyourneck
(d) DidyoulikeanyofyourotherjobsmorethantheoneyouhaveuowI
Pleasantworkingconditions
I['Yes':WhichonesI
Astrongandactiveunion
Whyl l
6. Sofaras these two thingsare concernedwould you saythatyourpresent
• S. Have you ever thought ofleaving your present job at Vauxhall/Skefko/
jobis
Laportel
FirstrateI
I['Yes':WhyI f: PrenygoodI
Haveyou doneanythingaboutitl Promptifneeessary: 'sueh as looking \
, NottoogoodI
forajobinthepaper'.
VerybadI
I['Yes':WhatwasthatI
Askall:WhatisitthenthatkeepsyouhereI 7. Doyoufindyourpresentjobphysicallytiring?
6. For those who have worked elsewhere than at presentfirm. Had you ever 8. Wouldyou sayit putsagreatstrainonyouruerves? Promptifneeessary:
worked on [present type of job] before coming to Vauxhall/Skefko/ 'Doesitmakeyoufieljitteryattheendoftheday?'
Laportel 9. DoyoufinditmonotonousI
• 7. (a) Whatsortofwork doesyour father do or what was hislast job,ifhe la. [Vauxhall]Canyou'workuptheline'or'buildabank'inyourjobl
isnolongeraliveorretiredI If'No':WhyisthatI
• (b) Has/hadhebeeninthatkindofworkformostofhislifeI [Skefko] Do you set yourselfan output target-say, so many pieces of
I['No':Probeforothermainjobsdone;besuretogetskilllevel. workperday?
lj'Yes': Doyoueverworkfaster togetwithinreachofthetargetearly
onandthentakeiteasyforabit?
Section2: The worker andhisjob [ThisquestionwasnotaskedofLaparteworkers.]
• t. Whatexactlyisyour present jobI Could you tell me brieflyinyour own II. DoyoueverfindthepaceofthejobtoofastI
wordsjustwhatitisthatyoudoI 12. Doyoufindyoucanthinkaboutotherthingswhiledoingyourjob?
2. HaveyoudoneanyotherjobsinVauxhall/Skefko/LaporteI If'Yes':Whatdoyouthinkabout?
If'No':movetoquestion4. 13. Whichwouldyouprefer:ajobwheresomeonetellsyouexactlyhowtodo
I['Yes':WhatweretheyI theworkoronewhereyouarelefttodecideforyourselfhowtogoaboutitl
14. Iftherewasonethingaboutyourjobhereyoucouldchangewhatwouldit VerymuchI
beIAtsomepointaskall:'How do you feel about shiftworkI' QllitealotI
NotmuchI
NotatallI
Section3: Worker andworkgroup
• (h) WhydoyousaythisI
I. (a) Inyour job, how much do you talk to your workmatesI Would you
10. HaveyoueverthoughtseriouslyofbecomingaforemanI
say
!f'Yes':Whathaveyoudoneaboutitl
AgooddealI
JustnowandthenI 11. Justsupposingyou did becomeaforeman, whatdoyouthinkyourmates
HardlyatallI would feelaboutitIProbefor admiration..envy..senseofhetrayal.. amuse
(b) When do you talk to them? Mainly during work or during breaks? ment,ctc.
(c) !f'gooddeal'or'nowandthen':Whatsortofthingsdoyoutalkabout,
isitmainlyaboutworkormainlyaboutthingsoutsidethefactoryI
Section 4: Worker andfirm
• z. HowwouldyoufeelIfyouweremovedtoanotherjobinthefactory more
orlessliketheoneyou donow butawayfrom themen whoworknearto • I. Check back to section I, question S and ask ifappropriate. You said you
you?Wouldyoufeel I stayed at VauxhaII/Skefko/Laporte because•..Do you think there are
VeryupsetI many firms which would give you these advantagesI
FairlyupsetI ! • z. How would you say Vauxhall/Skefko/Laportecompares with otherfirms
NotmuchbotheredI , youknowofasafirmtoworkfor.Wouldyousayitwas
Notbotheredatall? ! BetterthanmostI
AboutaverageI
3. HowmanyofthemenwhoworkneartoyouwouldyoucallclosefriendsI
WorsetbanmostI
!fnonemovetoquestion7.
• 3. (a)Whichworkers get a better deal for themselves; those in nationalised
4. Whendoyouseehim/themoutsideofthefactory?
industries or those in private enterprise concerns like Vauxhall/Skefko/
i
5. How well do you know his wife and family/their wives and families? Laportel
Wouldyousayyouknowthem • (h) Why?
VerywellI
4- Doyouthinkthisfirmisrunasefficientlyasitmightbe?
Quitewell?
Ij 'No': Have you ever made any suggestions for improving effici
JusttosayhellotoI
ency?
Notatall?
5. Do you think work study men are more concerned to make things go
6. Doanyofthem/doeshelivenearyou,say,withintenminutes'walk?
smoothlyforeveryoneorchieflytomaketheworkerkeepupafastpaceall
• 7. (a) Howdoyougetonwithyourforeman?Wouldyousayyougoton thetimeI
Verywell? • 6.Handcard. Herearetwoopposingviewsaboutindustrygenerally. I'dlike
PretrywellI you totellmewhichyouagreewith more. Somepeoplesaythatafirm is
NotsowellI like a football side-because good teamwork means success and is to
VerybadlyI everyone'sadvantage. Otherssaythatteamworkinindustryis impossible
(b) WhyisthisI -becauseemployersandmenarereallyonoppositesides. Whichviewdo
8. If'pretty well','.notsowell'or'veryhadly':Doyouthinkitpossiblefora youagreewithmore?
wOrkertogetonreallywellwithhisforeman? • 7. This firm has an exceptionally good industrial relations record. Why do
!f'No':WhynotI youthinkthisisI
!f'Yes': Whatwouldhavetobechangedtomakethispossibleinyour
8. How doyou feel aboutthe numberofofficeworkers in Vauxhall/Skefko/
case? LaporteIWouldyousaythereare
• 9. (a) Howabouttheideaofbecomingaforeman?Wouldyoulikethis ToomanyI
NotenoughI J
AboutrightI ;j IS· [S.kefko/Laporte] How do you think Skefko/Laporte products
WIth th f th " . compare
9· What do you think about the pay ofmen in clerical jobs in Vauxhalll Betotseer?0 0 erengmeermg/chemlcalfirms. Would you say theyare.•
1
Skefko/Laporteascompared withyourownIWouldyousaytheyearned Aboutthesame?
ToolittleI !
WorseI
ToomuchI !i
AboutrightI I
Section5: Worker andunion
pIefrawskeeedk.a'boutamountearnedbyclericalworkerssay'Anythingfrom£12-20 * I. (a) Areyouamemberofatradeunion?
If'No':movetoquestionI3.
*10. (a)Doyouthinkthefirmcouldpayyoumorethanitdoeswithoutdamag If'Yes':Which?
ingitsprospectsforthefutureIPromptifnecessaryaboutmarkets. I
* (b) Whyl , Whendidyoujoin?
WhydidyoujointhenI
H. (a) You are paid by[method ofpayment in operation]: some workers in ~.
(b) Wereyou ever amember ofanother union beforeyou joined the
otherfirmsareonpiece-rates/time-ratesandmanyofficeworkersgetpaid
If'Yes':speriJj. •••
afixed salarywith nothingextra for overtime. Whichmethodofpayment
(c) DoyoupayLabourPartyduesI
wouldyoupreferI
If'No':Haveyoucontractedoutthen?
Asalary I
Hourlyrates 2. (a) HowoftendoyougotounionshopmeetingsIWouldyousayyouwent
Regularly?
Piece-rates
I Occasionally?
(b) Whyl
Rarely?
I
12. Itispossiblethatatsometimeinthefuture workers maygettheirwages Never?
I
bycheque.HowwouldyoufeelaboutthisIWouldyoube
(b) When did you last go to one?
GenerallyagainstI
I
NotmuchbotheredI 3· (a) How often doyou go to union branchmeetings? Would you sayyou
went
GenerallyinfavourI
Regularly?
*13. In this firm there are different canteens for shop-floof workers, office Occasionally?
workersand managers. Doyouthinkthisis onthewholeagood thingor Rarely?
shouldallcanteensbeopentoeverybodyI .
Never?
14· Are you a special sectionmemberofthe[works club], thatis, morethan
(b) And when did you last go to onel
an'ordinarymember't
/f'Yes': Whatactivities do you take part inIProbefor roughdegree of 4· /f:rarely'or'never'to2 and3above:Whyisitthenyoudon'tbotherwith
UnIon meetmgs?
regularity. If, I" ,
rareD'. or never to3.only:Whyisityougotoshopmeetingsbutdon't
Haveyoueverheld an official position inIhe[worksclub] orone ofits botherWIthbranchmeetmgs?
sections?
If'Yes':WhatwasthatI 5· Howaboutvotingin theelectionsforshopstewards. Wouldyou sayyou
voted
WhendidyouholditI
RegularlyI
IS· (a) [Vauxhall]HowdoyouthinkVauxhallcarscompalewithothermakes,
OccasionallyI
priceforprice.Wouldyousaytheyale
Rarely?
BetterI
Never?
AboutthesameI
WorseI 6. AndhowaboutvotinginunionbranchelectionsIWouldyousayyouvoted
, RegularlyI
(b) DoyouhaveacarI ,
OccasionallyI
/f'Yes': IsitaVauxhallI
Rarely?
If'No': WhatmakeisitthenI(Specify)
Never?