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The internal labour dynamics of the Great Eastern Railway Company, 1870–1913

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  • PETER HOWLETT

Abstract

An important labour market development towards the end of the nineteenth century was the rise of the internal labour market. Railway companies were pioneers in this area, and this article presents an analysis of the career histories of 848 traffic staff workers of the Great Eastern Railway Company. This large longitudinal sample provides the first detailed account of the internal labour dynamics of a pre‐1914 railway company, providing a unique insight into an early internal labour market. It shows that there was a clearly structured market for unskilled entrants, that promotion and demotion were an important managerial tool, and that there was a significant wage premium for promotion.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Howlett, 2004. "The internal labour dynamics of the Great Eastern Railway Company, 1870–1913," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 57(2), pages 396-422, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ehsrev:v:57:y:2004:i:2:p:396-422
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0289.2004.00282.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Seltzer, Andrew J. & Simons, Kenneth L., 2001. "Salaries and Career Opportunities in the Banking Industry: Evidence from the Personnel Records of the Union Bank of Australia," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 195-224, April.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Hanno Scholtz, 2008. "Does Inequality Rise from Above or from Below? Understanding Income Skewness Trends in 16 OECD Countries, 1985-2005," LIS Working papers 504, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    4. Burnette, Joyce & Stanfors, Stanfors, 2018. "Understanding the gender gap among turn-of-the-century Swedish compositors," Working Paper Series 2018:1, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    5. Anderson, Peter, 2018. "‘Tall and lithe’–The wage-height premium in the Victorian and Edwardian British railway industry," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 152-162.

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