Comments on Gallie.

The article presents a comment on a previous article that appeared in the September 1996 issue of the British Journal of Sociology. According to the author, sociologist Duncan Gallie's paper returns to a subject which has been at the center of sociologist David Lockwood's work: the extent to which there has occurred convergence in class position between lower white-collar workers and manual workers. After a brief review of work on the impact of automation on the work and class situation of workers during the 1950's and 60's, Gallie systematically addresses the claims of both the proletarianization and embourgeoisement theses in the context of a radically changed technological environment. Gallie uses data from a recent large-scale survey on the association of aspects of work and market situation with new technology to test some of the central claims of both the proletarianization and the proletarianization thesis. The paper analyses the work situation of both types of workers by assessing the following aspects: trends in skill development; control over the work task; and relations with superiors. Assessment of market situation covers the components of income, payment systems, promotion chances and job security.