Reviews the role and the accomplishments of the United States Department of Labor in its 75 years of existence. Describes the department's establishment during an era of heavy union activity. Discusses changes in demographics of the labor force, conditions and standards, the work experience, and job placement. (CH)

Changes in the American work force include more workers, especially women; racial and ethnic composition of the work force; lengthening work lives; decline in union representation; workers' attitudes toward labor and leisure; expansion of a service economy; and projected demand for blue-collar occupations. The effect of these changes on…

As in many other industrialized countries, advances in computer technology are transforming Germany's industrial society into an information and services society. Increasingly fewer jobs are available in traditional industries and in the public sector. In the 1990s, Germany's trade unions and employers' associations have experienced steady…