Workers' endure era of precarious employment







The nature of employment in Canada has been steadily shifting towards one based on contracts and temporary work, compared to full-time positions with benefits. This kind of employment has been touted in the past as more beneficial to both the employer and the employee because it allows for a degree of flexibility, however the downside of this trend is the lack of financial stability it causes for the employees.


Financial instability among workers has a broader effect on the economy as a whole, with workers feeling to unstable to buy houses, or have children.  What some supports may call “temporary/contract work,” can more accurately be termed what researchers at McMaster University and the United Way have coined “precarious employment.”   

Statistics Canada estimates that in the past year the amount of temporary and contract workers has risen from 11.3 percent in 1997, to 13.6 percent, and that the rate of ‘precarious employment,’ has risen by 50% in the past twenty years.  (Globe and Mail) I first became aquatinted with the idea of precarious employment while I, rather ironically, was working at the Conference Board of Canada as a temp.


I spoke over the phone with someone from their communications department and he very much wanted to present the findings of the United Way and McMaster University at an upcoming conference surrounding what he called ‘precarious employment.‘ I already some idea what this could mean, but when he described it I realized I was one of these people. 

Precarious employment as explained in the United Way study, is a state of employment in which the worker lacks security or benefits. This state of employment is detrimental to the worker as it creates instability and impedes the employee’s ability to plan for the future, buy a house, have children or  save for retirement. For young people it is exceptionally disruptive as it makes it harder to attain a professional mentor, or climb a career ladder in their field.


There are other hazards for the temporary worker besides instability, namely less money. Contract workers can expect to be paid 46% less than their counterparts with full-time positions (Globe and Mail) . 

After learning about this new direction the labour market seemed to be taking, I couldn’t help but reflect on my own position, as well as friends of mine. I, like many of my friends who had recently graduated university were eager to put our knowledge to work and attain that great job we had (perhaps naively) thought we would get upon graduating.


When they didn’t come right away we pursued employment agencies and received many contracts with government and the private sector hoping they would lead to full-time jobs. Instead it became clear we were only there to work on a special project,  or fill in for someone on mat/paternity leave. Those being offered the full-time positions were years ahead in their careers making it nearly impossible to compete. 


For those touting the benefits of temporary/contract work, I can firmly say if there are any, they lie solely with the employer not with the worker. Furthermore, ignoring an entire generation of young people through lack of opportunity will only hurt the Canadian economy in the future as it will take longer to get established, thus delaying entry into the housing market and the ability to plan for the future. 


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