YUFA
External
False Promises: Precarious Work in the New Economy
The Work and Learning Network Conference
October 20-21, 2006 University of Alberta
by Tony Fang, School of Administrative Studies, York University
24 Nov 06 - The purpose of this conference was to examine the way in which work has been reorganized and become increasingly precarious in the new economy. Although the rhetoric of work and learning promises more economic opportunities in a restructured economy, precarious work arrangements such as contingent, part-time, and contract labour, as well as the shift to service sector work have differential implications for various groups of workers. This phenomenon of growing importance and related social, economic consequences have drawn increased attention from academic and community members, and policy makers alike in recent years.
Keynote Speaker:
Ron Saunders, Director of the Work Network, Canadian Policy Research Networks
Making Work Pay
Despite strong economic growth, a large share of the Canadian
workforce continues to earn very low pay, with limited employment
benefits, and little opportunity to upgrade their skills. This leads to
outcomes that most would regard as unfair and wastes of people’s
potential. Today, one in six (or 2 million) full-time Canadian workers
make less than $10/hour. The share of such low pay jobs has not changed
since 1981, despite a 43% rise in our standard of living. Ron Saunders
suggested three types of policies to change the situation. (1) Steps
that improve income, e.g. increased minimum wages, income supplements
for the working poor; (2) Improved non-wage benefits and supports, e.g.
childcare, affordable housing, dental and pharmaceutical benefits and
better unemployment insurance coverage; (3) Measures to increase
financial assets and skill levels.
Session Speakers:
Kiran Mirchandani, et al. OISE/UT.
Skilled Invulnerability: An Ethnodrama on Learning in Racialized Culture of Contingency
This presentation focuses on work-related learning in the culture of contingency. Through ethnodrama, this study involves qualitative interview with 50 female contingent workers in the Great Toronto Area. The data reveal that women received training that, paradoxically, assumed that they possessed a significant amount of prior skill and experience, and that at the same time served to diminish, rather than enrich, their capacities. Three scenarios which characterize the lives and work experiences of the women that were interviewed.
Andrew Mitchell, University of Toronto
Post-welfare Labour Market Experiences of Immigrants in Toronto
Immigrant economic success is deeply influenced by major institutional configurations – immigration policy, labour market, and welfare state (Reitz, 1998). This paper examines immigrant experiences within the post-Ontario Works, a classic “Work First” welfare-to-work regime within a liberal social and economic setting. It has been found that lower hourly wages are main differences in the job characteristics of the immigrants as compared those of the native-born Canadians. Extremes of education (high school of less, post-secondary or greater), and whether the person’s education was obtained in Canada, are also found to be associated with wage levels.
Shibao Guo, University of Calgary
False Promises in the New Economy: Barriers Facing Recent Chinese Immigrants in Edmonton
Canada promotes itself as an immigration country and a land of opportunities. The multicultural polices also present a culturally tolerant nation and the favourable integration programs that guarantee a smooth settlement and transition for new immigrants. All these promises, however, have been tested as false hope by the experience of recent Chinese immigrants. This study that involves a questionnaire survey and interviews reveals serious barriers of integration facing many recent immigrants from China. Despite the fact that majority came with post-secondary education, many of them suffer unemployment or underemployment. Many cannot find jobs in their original professions. Furthermore, a lack of social network and Canadian experience, and language difficulties are other barriers. This study raises many important questions about challenges facing newcomers to Canada and the changing nature of work and learning in Canada’s new economy.