Precarious Work Affects Us All!
September 24, 2011
World Day for Decent Work - October 7, 2011
Since the 1970s, Canada has seen a steady rise in precarious employment, work that is temporary, contract-based, overseen by temp agencies or jobs that are involuntarily part-time. In the last decade, precarious work has accelerated. These jobs are characterized by low wages, unstable work hours, few (if any) benefits, insecurity and contribute negatively to the quality of life for many.
Since the recession, the number of part-time and temporary jobs have dramatically increased. Today, nearly 20 per cent of Canadians (19.4) work part-time and among them, for one fifth of workers -it's involuntary. They simply cannot find a full-time job.
Emerging from the recent recession, Canada has experienced what many now refer to as a "bad jobs" recovery. With the country's economic health again in question, Canada cannot afford to backfill lost full-time, permanent good jobs with temporary part-time employment.
We need a good jobs strategy!
For the fourth year in a row, trade unions around the globe have rallied, demonstrated, organized, discussed and strategized about the need to push for the creation of good, full-time, permanent, safe, fairly-compensated jobs where workers have a real voice in the workplace. The World Day for Decent Work is organized by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
The World Day for Decent Work is intended to raise awareness of the growth of these inadequate jobs at a time of incredible economic turbulence. Workers around the world are demanding change and are holding their governments accountable for the quality of jobs created in a post-recession economy, not just the quantity of jobs. The time to protect and promote good jobs is now!
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Do you work in a precarious job? Share your story with us. It may be posted on the CAW website and used as part of a longer term campaign against precarious work.* Send your story, photos or videos to: cawcomm@caw.ca
*Individuals will be contacted prior to any stories being shared publicly for the campaign in order to ensure privacy and confidentiality.
- Advocating on Behalf of Precarious Workers - Health Care and Social Services
- Advocating on Behalf of Precarious Workers - Transportation and Manufacturing
- Corporate Runaways Can't Trump the Greater Good (Toronto Star, Op-ed by Ken Lewenza, August 4, 2011)
- Tired of your bad job? (billboard)
- Precarious Work in Canada - the facts!
- Temporary Work in Ontario - the facts!
- Part-Time Work in Ontario - the facts!
- Job Insecurity: The Corrosive New Normal (Toronto Star, Column by Carol Goar, October 7, 2009)
- Precarious Work - the dangers to workers and how we can fight it
- Precarious Work - the dangers to workers and how we can fight it (Spanish language)
- Precarious Work - the dangers to workers and how we can fight it (Portuguese Language)
- Precarious Work - the dangers to workers and how we can fight it (French language)
- Precarious Work ad
- The Precarious Economy - (The Mark article by Ken Lewenza and Deena Ladd - October 7, 2009)
- Precarious Work Affects Us All - Resolution
Free trade with the European Union is a bad idea for Canada
The Harper government's relentless push to sign a new Canada-EU free trade deal would undermine the rights of federal, provincial and municipal governments to manage public spending over goods and services; it would privatize public services like drinking water, prevent us from adopting strong measures to combat climate change and wipe out up to 150,000 Canadian jobs, among a long list of additional concerns. CAW President Ken Lewenza says:
So far, all signs point to a free trade deal that is lopsided, unfair and would do more harm than good to Canadians. 
