JAMB and WAEC Economics questions: The labour market

31 questions with answers and explanations. Tap an option to check yourself.

1. Question 1· The labour market· WAEC

   Disguised unemployment exists when

   • Aworkers are between jobs
   • Bmore workers are employed than are needed, so some add nothing to output
   • Cpeople refuse to work
   • Dthere is no work in a season

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   Explanation and discussion

2. Question 2· The labour market· JAMB

   Collective bargaining is

   • Athe buying of goods in bulk
   • Bthe setting of prices by firms
   • Cnegotiation between trade unions and employers over wages and conditions
   • Da government tax

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   Explanation and discussion

3. Question 3· The labour market· WAEC

   The demand for labour is a derived demand because labour is wanted

   • Afor its own sake
   • Bfor the goods and services it helps to produce
   • Cby the government only
   • Donly during harvest

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4. Question 4· The labour market· WAEC

   A trade union may raise its members' wages through

   • Aincreasing the supply of labour
   • Breducing productivity
   • Ccollective bargaining
   • Dlowering the demand for labour

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   Explanation and discussion

5. Question 5· The labour market· JAMB

   Unemployment of workers who are between jobs is

   • Africtional unemployment
   • Bstructural unemployment
   • Cseasonal unemployment
   • Ddisguised unemployment

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6. Question 6· The labour market· JAMB

   The wage rate in a competitive labour market is determined by

   • Athe government only
   • Bdemand for and supply of labour
   • Cemployers alone
   • Dunions alone

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7. Question 7· The labour market· WAEC

   Farm labourers who are idle during the dry season experience

   • Aseasonal unemployment
   • Bstructural unemployment
   • Cdisguised unemployment only
   • Dcyclical unemployment

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8. Question 8· The labour market· WAEC

   Frictional unemployment occurs when

   • Ademand falls in recession
   • Bworkers are between jobs
   • Cmachines replace workers
   • Dseasons change

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9. Question 9· The labour market· WAEC

   Unemployment that occurs because workers lack the skills needed for available jobs is

   • Astructural unemployment
   • Bseasonal unemployment
   • Cfrictional unemployment
   • Dcyclical unemployment

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10. Question 10· The labour market· JAMB

    The minimum wage is

    • Athe lowest wage employers are legally allowed to pay
    • Bthe average wage
    • Cthe highest wage
    • Dthe tax on wages

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11. Question 11· The labour market· JAMB

    Seasonal unemployment is common in

    • Ateaching
    • Bbanking
    • Cgovernment service
    • Dagriculture and tourism

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    Explanation and discussion

12. Question 12· The labour market· WAEC

    Collective bargaining is negotiation between

    • Agovernment and foreign countries
    • Bbuyers and sellers in a market
    • Cemployers and trade unions over pay and conditions
    • Dbanks and borrowers

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13. Question 13· The labour market· JAMB

    Seasonal unemployment is most common among

    • Afarm labourers
    • Bcivil servants
    • Cbank workers
    • Dteachers

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    Explanation and discussion

14. Question 14· The labour market· JAMB

    Wage differentials between occupations arise mainly from differences in

    • Askills, training and responsibility
    • Bworkers' names
    • Cthe weather
    • Dthe colour of uniforms

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    Explanation and discussion

15. Question 15· The labour market· JAMB

    Unemployment caused by long-term changes in the structure of an economy is

    • Astructural unemployment
    • Bseasonal unemployment
    • Cfrictional unemployment
    • Dcyclical unemployment

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16. Question 16· The labour market· JAMB

    Structural unemployment is caused by

    • Ashort gaps between jobs
    • Bseasonal weather
    • Clong-term changes in the structure of the economy
    • Da general recession

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17. Question 17· The labour market· WAEC

    A factory sends its workers on regular training courses. This mainly raises the

    • Asupply of land
    • Befficiency of labour
    • Cprice of output
    • Drate of interest

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18. Question 18· The labour market· JAMB

    The demand for labour is said to be derived because

    • Ait is fixed by government
    • Bworkers choose their wages
    • Cit never changes
    • Dit depends on the demand for the goods labour produces

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19. Question 19· The labour market· JAMB

    The labour force of a country consists of

    • Aonly government workers
    • Ball people in the country
    • Conly people with jobs
    • Dpeople of working age who are willing and able to work

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20. Question 20· The labour market· WAEC

    A trade union mainly aims to

    • Apay taxes for workers
    • Bfix the prices of goods
    • Clend money to firms
    • Dimprove the wages and working conditions of its members

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    Explanation and discussion