Migration of boom-town construction workers: wanderlust or adaptation

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:6014887

Fahys-Smith, V E

Worker turnover among construction workers seriously compounds the problem of rapid growth due to energy or mineral development in western boom towns. Turnover rates have been as high as 100% a year in many of these communities. Thus, if this rate of turnover remained constant a 1000-man work force would result in as many as 5000 construction workers circulating through a community over a four-year period. Other than demographic statistics, little is known about the construction-worker population and why it moves. It is known that long-time residents often see this group as the major cause of boom-town social problems. This generalization is comonly reflected in the research literature, where the migration of these workers is described away as wanderlust. Rather than assuming that variables such as wanderlust and past mobility are the major causal factors influencing migration, this study proposes that much of the decision to migrate is explained by a calculation of costs and benefits to maintain an equitable exchange with the social environment. In addition, individual characteristics that have been found to influence migration in past studies are also examined. The data base, the Construction Worker Profile Household Survey (CWPHS), was administered to 1432 respondents from nine western communities that vary according to the rate of population growth, size, and location.

• OSTI ID: 6014887
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290200* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Economics & Sociology
BOOM TOWNS
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
DEMOGRAPHY
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
INDUSTRY
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
LABOR
NORTH AMERICA
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
USA