Rapid rise in part-time jobs

Press, 26 September 1988, Page 3

Rapid rise in part-time jobs

By

GLEN PERKINSON

in Wellington

More than half of New Zealand’s married women were in paid employment during 1987-88. But Maoris stand out sharply because of the drop in their numbers employed. An essay by the Statistics Department social reporting section shows there has been a growing trend of women gaining employment. Its data shows that during the year to the end of March the number of women aged between 25 to 54 in employment grew by 12,500. It reflected the growing trend of married women to return to the workforce after having children. Since 1986 the number of married women in the workforce has grown about 3 per cent to reach an average level of 411,100. Pacific Islanders recorded a drop in employment levels over the study period. Thirty-six per cent of Pacific Islanders were out of work during 1987-88. More than 18 per cent of

Maoris were unemployed. The number of Maoris with jobs dropped 9 per cent to 88,900 by March but the number of Maoris in the working age group did not change. The study showed one of the most significant developments in the New Zealand labour market over the last few years was the rapid expansion of the part-time labour force. By March the part-time labour force was averaging 337,370 — about 21 per cent of the total labour force. Women dominated this group. Three in every four part-timers were women. But one in 10 parttimers indicated they would rather have fulltime work.

Men made up a disproportionately large 28 per cent of involuntary parttime workers. About half of these said they, wanted full-time employment. . The likelihood of being employed was higher in the North Island, at 64 per cent, than in the South Island where the rate was 59 per cent.