Since they first emerged in the 1830s, labor unions have played a key role in the Western world in securing better labor conditions, wages and benefits for their members. However, in recent decades, the power of unions has been in decline. We wonder: Which of the following countries has the lowest degree of unionization in its workforce?
A. United Kingdom
B. Japan
C. France
D. United States
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Among wealthy countries, there are big differences with regard to paid time off from work. In most countries, vacation time is required by national law. We wonder: Which of these countries has the highest number of legally guaranteed vacation days?
A. United States
B. Germany
C. France
D. United Kingdom
Over the past several decades, women have managed to increase their presence in the workplace all over the Western world. Beginning with World War II, the United States was the vanguard of that move toward higher labor participation rates for women. We wonder: Seven decades onward, is the United States still leading the way among developed countries?
A. Yes, the United States still leads.
B. Not quite, but it is still near the top.
C. No, it is in the middle of the pack.
D. No, it is near the bottom.
The Industrial Revolution made it possible for machines to help humans do work. Now, an increasing amount of work is being done by the machines themselves. We wonder: Which country has the most robots in the workplace compared to its number of human workers?
A. Germany
B. China
C. United States
D. South Korea
Having a secure job that pays a reasonable wage is the primary way in which billions of the world’s inhabitants share in the benefits of a growing global economy. But at any point in time, many millions lack the jobs that provide this livelihood. We wonder: The global total of unemployed workers is about the same as which country’s population?
A. Turkey
B. Bangladesh
C. Brazil
D. United States
It was big news when Apple announced that it planned to “reshore” some of its computer manufacturing to the United States. The news was seen as a harbinger of a much-needed rebound for the U.S. manufacturing sector. We wonder: What percentage of U.S. jobs does the manufacturing sector account for?
Immense technological progress has brought convenience and excitement to our lives as consumers. But it is also bringing about profound change for the employment prospects in many professions. We wonder: Which of the following professions is most at danger in the age of computerization over the next two decades?
As the dog days of summer set in, the thoughts of many people living in the Northern hemisphere turn to taking a well-earned vacation. But wide disparities exist among wealthy countries when it comes to paid time off from work. We wonder: Which of these country’s workers get to take the most days off for vacation and holidays?
The recession that followed the 2008 financial crisis in the United States officially ended in June 2009 — four years ago. By various measures, the U.S. economy is improving. However, measured by number of jobs, it is still lagging. We wonder: Which of the following statements is true?
We have all read the alarming headlines: Half of all young people in Spain and Greece are unemployed. So are around a quarter of all young people in Italy, France and the UK. But it turns out there is a problem with the way youth unemployment rates are calculated. We wonder: Which number below is a truer reflection of the level of youth unemployment in Spain?