Designation of workers by collar color

Groups of working individuals are typically classified based on the colors of their collars worn at work; these can commonly reflect one's occupation or sometimes gender.[1] White-collar workers are named for the white-collared shirts that were fashionable among office workers in the early and mid-20th century. Blue-collar workers are referred to as such because in the early 20th century, they usually wore sturdy, inexpensive clothing that didn't show dirt easily, such as blue denim or cambric shirts. Various other "collar" descriptions exist, as well.

White collar

Main article: White-collar worker

The term "white-collar worker" was coined in the 1930s by Upton Sinclair, an American writer who referenced the word in connection to clerical, administrative and managerial functions during the 1930s.[2] A "white-collar worker" is a salaried professional, typically referring to general office workers and management. However, in certain developed countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, a person is assumed to be a white-collar worker when one engages in a highly professional and successful career or works in either an administrative or managerial role.

Blue collar

Main article: Blue-collar worker

A blue-collar worker is a member of the working class who performs manual work and either earns an hourly wage or is paid piece rate for the amount of work done. This term was first used in 1924.[3]

Pink collar

Main article: Pink-collar worker

A pink-collar worker is also a member of the working class who performs in the service industry. They work in positions such as waiters, retail clerks, salespersons, and many other positions involving relations with people.The term was coined in the late 1990s as a phrase to describe jobs that were typically held by women, now the meaning has changed to encompass all service jobs.[4][5][6]

Other classifications

Some job categories involve duties that fall under one or more of the categories listed above, or none of the above.[7] These categories include:

References

Notes

  1. Benczes, Réka (2006). Creative Compounding in English: The Semantics of Metaphorical and Metonymical Noun-Noun Combinations. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. pp. 144–146.
  2. Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd edition. Electronically indexed online document. White collar, usage 1, first example.
  3. Wickman, Forrest. "Working Man's Blues: Why do we call manual laborers blue collar?" Slate.com, 1 May 2012.
  4. Elkins, Kathleen (FRebruary 17, 2015) "20 jobs that are dominated by women" Business Insider
  5. "Pink collar" Dictionary.com
  6. Tennery, Ann (Mat 23, 2012) "The Term 'Pink Collar' Is Silly And Outdated — Let’s Retire It" Time
  7. Van Horn, Carl; Schaffner, Herbert (2003). Work in America: M-Z. CA, USA: ABC-Clio Ltd. p. 597. ISBN 9781576076767.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Biseria, Puneet (May 20, 2015) "Types of Collar"
  9. Friedrich, Thomas (2013) Hitler's Berlin: Abused City Spencer, Stewart (trans). New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-16670-5. p.12.
  10. "Red-Collars in Private Companies". Beijing Review. Jun 28, 2007. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  11. Pandeli, Jenna (2014). "Title: Orange collar workers: an exploratory study of modern prison labour and the involvement of private firms". University of Bristol.
  12. Feinberg, Daniel. "Recap: 'Survivor: Worlds Apart' Premiere - 'It's Survivor Warfare'". Hitfix. Hitfix, Inc. Retrieved 26 July 2015.

Further reading

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