Precarious Work disproportionally affects young workers. Traditional full day work eludes young workers just entering into the workforce who instead are increasingly turning to part time or contract work that puts them at higher risk for injury, unemployment, and poverty.
Youth Culture and the Government
Over a month jobs for people 15–24 dropped 28,000
1 third of young workers are in temporary jobs
Ontario has 300,000 unpaid interns
Many still don't understand the challenges that young people face in the job market today. Some people write off the problems now facing young workers entering the work force because they didn't deal with them themselves. There is a very real perception that millennial are lazy. The truth is mellenials are no different than any other generation but ere put in much more difficult circumstances when it comes to career prospects.
Trudeau has had a complex relationship with this issue. Highlighted here is MP Niki Ashton addressing some of Trudeau's comments on Precarious Work.
The Liberal party has made a commmitment to the issue of precarious work at all levels of government. Kathleen Wynne has “We’ve chosen to reject the notion that the growing numbers of precarious workers are an unfortunate and unavoidable economic reality of the 21st century,”. Despite this commitment many young people still feel like the government is not doing enough to support young workers.
Trudeau
Trudeau drew heavy criticism at a Youth Labour Forum in Ottawa for his perceived failure to address Precarious Work. As seen here the sizeable protest was met with frustration and derision from Trudeau and much of the audience. A large part of the reason for the protest was because of Trudeau's Minister of Finance belief that Precarious Work was a fact of life saying “How do we train and retrain people as they move from job to job to job? Because it’s going to happen. We have to accept that,”. For many young people this signals that the government is giving up on their prospects for future full time work. At the protest Brianna Broderick said that “It’s simply unacceptable when the minister of finance is saying young people need to get used to precarity, young people need to get used to not having the same opportunity as other generations have had,". This protest and the many others like it are attempts to secure for a young generation the ability to get work capable of supporting them.
A protest at the Youth Labour Forum captured by THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand
People out protesting the state of Precarious Work in Canada. Photo from the Labour Community Services
Getting work is difficult for just about everyone. For those entering the workforce it is even more difficult. Here are some facts about Precarious Work and its effects on young people.
The unemployment rate for young people is twice the national average.
Students aged 15-24 make up 21 percent of the workforce and at some times of the years up to 90 percent of them hold jobs that would be considered precarious.
Under the current law part time work can be paid nearly half as much as full time work while doing the same job
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The Youth Response
Much of the discussion about precarious work is taking place online where people are taking a stand and raising awareness.
So What's the Point?
Precarious Work is a large problem for many workers today. There needs to be real change in order to support those seeking fair employment. Young workers especially need the support of the government if future generations hope to enjoy the same level of employment as previous generations. Young people shouldn't be expected to settle for unreliable work instead of full time employment. Young people have been and need to continue to make their voices heard. The relationship between the government and young people needs to be constructive if there is going to be any real change in the future. Precarious Work doesn't need to be the norm and we should all work towards a country where livable careers are available to all.
A Lack of Understanding
"Fight for $15 and Fairness." 15 and Fairness. N.p., 20 Mar. 2017. Web. 03 Apr. 2017.
Herman, Derek. "Did You Know: Millennials Are Lazy." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 03 Mar. 2016. Web. 03 Apr. 2017.
The Canadian Federation of Students - Ontario. "Improving the Employment Standards Act: The Canadian Federation of Students – Ontario Submission to the Changing Workplace Review September 2015." (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 3 Apr. 2017.
"Labour Projects." Labour Community Services. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2017.
Press, Terry Pedwell The Canadian. "Heckles, jeers and turned backs greet Justin Trudeau at youth labour forum." 680 NEWS. N.p., 25 Oct. 2016. Web. 03 Apr. 2017.