Why We’re Concerned
Inequality at Work: Good Jobs for Whom?
The field of semiconductor manufacturing is disproportionately white and male.
A recent analysis of official reports by seven big semiconductor manufacturing firms found that Hispanic, Black, and women workers are underrepresented in the workforce, particularly at the management and executive levels.
- Hispanic and Black workers make up just 7.9% and 4.9% of the semiconductor industry workforce, though they make up 18.9% and 13.6% of the general population.
- Those few Black and Hispanic workers are concentrated in lower paying and more dangerous semiconductor jobs. Hispanic and Black workers make up 15.1% and 9.1% of the blue-collar workforce, respectively.
- Only 24.1% of workers in the semiconductor industry are women.
- Upper management is overwhelmingly white and male. Less than 2% of upper management in the industry are Hispanic, and less than 2% are Black. Just 14.5% of the industry’s executives are women.
Shockingly, the industry’s record has gotten worse in recent decades. In 1990, the US semiconductor and electronics industries employed more women and a more representative share of Black and Hispanic workers than they do today.
We support
- Efforts to ensure accessibility for and retention of women, people of color, and other underrepresented populations.
- Training, recruitment, and job quality standards for a diversified workforce.
- Protections against discrimination and harassment.