Job-Quitting at Appalachain Sawmills

Abstract

Labor turnover in hardwood sawmills of the Appalachian Region was studied by using data collected during interviews with 68 mill managers. Job-quitting was highest among young unskilled workers who had less than 6 months of service with their employers. Half of the mills surveyed had annual quit rates of more than 100 percent. Variation among mills was associated with the age of mill employees, wages and the number of paid holidays received by the workers, and the general wage level and unemployment rate in the local labor market. Lumber output per man-hour varied inversely with quit rates, In managing turnover, employers are encouraged to balance the cost of higher wages and fringe benefits with the benefits of greater labor stability.

Citation

Wolf, Charles H. 1977. Job-Quitting at Appalachain Sawmills. Res. Pap. NE-369. Upper Darby, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 10p.