Decent jobs and wages needed

Precarious employment is the new norm in Ontario’s labour market, making it extremely difficult for people, especially young people, to build secure and stable lives.

Young people across this province are reporting widespread feelings of insecurity and with good reason, research suggest that almost one-quarter of young adults born between 1981 and 2000 are working temporary or contract jobs.

As a full-time undergraduate student, I’m struggling to pay tuition, working on campus 20 hours per week at $12 an hour. I’m not breaking even, and, I am not alone. The rise of precarious labour and the related financial insecurity has serious impacts on the lives of young people — our sense of future possibilities, our health (particularly our mental health) and our quality of life.

I’m worried I won’t be able to find a full-time job or pay off my student debt. I’m worried I’ll never have benefits, let alone buy a home.

Researchers with PEPSO (Poverty and Employment Precarity in southern Ontario) echo my concerns, stating, “If left unchecked, the social consequences of these changes in our labour market will not only affect the ability of people to build stable and fulfilling lives, but will threaten our region’s capacity to develop a competitive workforce.”

Ontarians desperately need decent work and wages, including a $15 minimum wage, and paid emergency leave days. If our municipalities are truly committed to cultivating and sustaining vibrant, healthy, and caring communities, they need to appreciate that Bill 148 is urgently needed to address precarious employment. David Smith, Windsor