Labor And Wages in Palestine before 1948 (Nakba), Section 1: Employment and Unemployment. British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 731. Chapter XVII

CHAPTER XVII.

LABOUR AND WAGES.

Section 1.

EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT.

Employment.

No precise figures are available concerning the number of persons in Palestine who are dependent on employment as wage earners. An estimate has, however, been made by the Government Statistician of the number of wage-earners engaged in each branch of industry in the years 1939 and 1942. This estimate which is shown below, covers only persons in receipt of salaries and wages. Accordingly, it does not include owner-farmers, members of communal settlements, proprietors, nor independent artisans and professional persons.

NUMBER OF WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS IN EACH INDUSTRIAL GROUP IN 1939 AND 1942.

(including unemployed).

1. Agriculture (hired Labour)

2. Industry Manufacture

Extraction of minerals, quarrying Construction

Transport and communications

3. Commerce and finance

4. Government, administrative Departments

and municipal services

5. Hotels, restaurants and personal services

6. War Departments civilian employees

7. Palestinian soldiers in Armed Forces

8. Other services and minor groups

Total wage and salary earners

1939 1942
~ -NO:--
35,000 20,000
37,200 52,000
3,000 3,200
25,000 61,500
18,000 20,000
21,000 22,000
21,000 31,500
27,000 31,550
1,700 24,600
21,200
15,000 17,700
---
203,900 305.250
2. It has not been possible to compile such estimates for any later period nor to distinguish the wage earners according to community The Arab community is least documented in this respect,

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