Immigrant Job Search in the UK

Most immigrant groups in the UK experience higher unemployment rates than otherwise similar UK born whites. Empirical research to date has attributed this finding to discrimination, lack of English Language fluency and the (non-) transferability of skills acquired before immigration. In this paper, we investigate how the job search methods of unemployed white and ethnic minority immigrants, and their success in exiting unemployment, compare with the UK born, using the panel element of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey, pooled over 1997-2001. We condition, amongst other things, on some observable immigrant characteristics and discuss the policy implications of our findings.unemployment, job search, immigrants

Investigating the Quitting Decision of Nurses: Panel Data Evidence from the British National Health Service

There is currently a worldwide shortage of registered nurses, driven by large shifts in both the demand for and supply of nurses. Consequently, various policies to increase the recruitment and retention of nurses are under discussion, in particular, the role that wage increases might have in promoting nurse labour supply. In this paper we provide the first detailed empirical investigation into the quitting behaviour of nurses in the British National Health Service (NHS), using a newly constructed longitudinal survey. We fit both single and competing-risks duration models that enable us to establish the characteristics of those nurses who leave the NHS, distinguish the importance of pay in this decision and document the destinations that nurses move to. Contrary to expectations, we find that the hourly wage received by nurses outside of the NHS is around 20% lower than in the NHS, and that hours of work are about the same. However, there is a clear movement away from shift work. Age, seniority, job and employer characteristics are all found to be important predictors of nurses leaving the NHS. However, whilst the effect of wages is found to be statistically significant, the predicted impact of an increase in nurses' pay on retention rates is small. Our main conclusion, therefore, is that the current nurse shortages in the NHS will not be eliminated through substantially increased pay. Rather employers need to identify and address other aspects of the job which are driving nurses' decisions to quit the NHS.nurses, panel data, wages, hours, quitting, NHS

To Teach or not to Teach? Panel Data Evidence on the Quitting Decision

The question we address in this paper is which factors influence the quitting decision of public sector teachers in England and Wales, using a nationally representative panel data set over 1997-2003. We document the outcomes of former teachers, fit single and competing-risks duration models and examine the influence of relative pay on retention. Surprisingly, we find that teachers who move to outside employment earn 22% less pay, work longer hours, in largely nonprofessional occupations and mainly stay within the public sector. We estimate that a 10% increase in teachers’ relative pay would reduce annual quitting rates by less than 1%.Teachers, Panel Data, Wages, Quitting

Debt and financial expectations: an individual and household level analysis

In this paper we show that optimistic financial expectations impact positively on both the uantity of debt and the growth in debt, at the individual and household levels. Our heoretical model shows that this association is predicted under a variety of plausible cenarios. In the empirical analysis we explore the determinants of debt and of growth in ebt using British data. We find convincing support for our theoretical priors and show that t is optimistic financial expectations per se that are important in influencing debt, rather han the accuracy of individuals’ predictions regarding their future financial situation.Debt; Financial Expectations; Inter-temporal Consumption; Random Effects; Tobit Estimator

Migration, Migrants and Policy in the United Kingdom

This paper draws together, in the form of a survey, a number of different aspects of the United Kingdom?s international migration experience since the Second World War. The areas covered include changes in the volume and composition of international migration and the factors influencing migration; the background to, and the development of, restrictions on immigration; and the links between immigration policy and race relations. This is followed by an examination of the education and labour market status of immigrants and ethnic minorities as compared with native- born whites. Results from recent econometric research on wage and employment differentials are presented and interpreted in the wider context. Finally, the possible effects of migration on the economy at large are briefly discussed

Stakeholders, Bargaining and Strikes

We study bilateral bargaining problems with interested third parties, the stakeholders that enjoy benefits upon a bilateral agreement. We explore the strategic implications of this third party involvement. Our main finding is that the potential willingness of the stakeholder to make contributions to promote agreement may be the source of severe inefficiency. However, and more surprisingly, for a wide range of parameter values this outcome is better for the stakeholder than if he enters bargaining directly. Our results lend support to the tendency towards decentralisation of pay bargaining in the public sector in Europe