Economic Recession and Informal Sector Workers

Chaudhuri, Sarbajit (2009): Economic Recession and Informal Sector Workers. Unpublished.

Abstract

The paper develops a three-sector specific factor model with Harris-Todaro type unemployment to examine the consequences of economic recession in the skilled sector on the informal sector workforce. It finds that while a decrease in the price of high-skill commodity raises both the informal (rural) sector wage and unemployment of unskilled labour, a drop in emigration of skilled labour produces exactly the opposite effects. The effects of these policies on the welfare of unskilled workers in terms of the welfare measure of Sen (1974) have also been studied. The paper recommends a protectionist policy to the unskilled labour-intensive sector for protecting the interest of the vulnerable section of the working population.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Skilled labour; unskilled labour; economic recession; informal wage; urban unemployment
• Subjects: F - International Economics > F1 - Trade > F13 - Commercial Policy; Protection; Promotion; Trade Negotiations; International Trade Organizations; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J3 - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs > J31 - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials by Skill, Training, Occupation, etc.

References

Agenor, P.R. (1996): ‘The labour market and economic adjustment’, IMF Staff Papers 32, 261 355.

Harris, J.R. and Todaro, M. P. (1970): ‘Migration, unemployment and development: A two-sector analysis’, American Economic Review 60, 126-42.

ILO (2009): ‘The financial and economic crisis: a decent work response’, International Labour Office, Geneva.

Sen, A. K. (1974): ‘ Informal bases of alternative welfare approaches: aggregation and income distribution’, Journal of Public Economics 4, 387-403.