For those who might be interested in looking at the research report by
the Ryerson Social Reporting Network (RSRN), "The Job Poor Recovery:
Social Cohesion and the Canadian Labour Market", a version of it can be
found at the following Web address free of charge:
http://www.research.ryerson.ca/~ors/research/job.html
A Final version of the paper is available by writing to:
Dr. John Shields, Senior Researcher
Ryerson Social Reporting Network
Dept. of Politics,
Ryerson Polytechnic University
350 Victoria St.
Toronto, Ont.
M5B 2K3
(Please enclose a cheque for $10.00 payable to Ryerson Polytechnic
University to cover the cost of postage and printing).
On Sat, 5 Jun 1999, Michael Gurstein wrote:
>
> >Date: Fri, 04 Jun 1999 12:42:27 -0700
> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >From: Sid Shniad <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >Subject: STUDY PAINTS BLEAK JOB SCENE IN CANADA
> >
> >The National Post June 3, 1999
> >
> >STUDY PAINTS BLEAK JOB SCENE IN CANADA
> >
> > 52% BELOW $15 AN HOUR
> >
> > Jobless figures don't measure underemployment, report contends
> >
> > By James Cudmore
> >
> > Canadian workers are underpaid and underemployed, says a
> >report released yesterday by Ryerson Polytechnic University.
> > The study, conducted by the Ryerson Social Reporting Net-
> >work, observes that 52% of Canadians are paid less than $15 an
> >hour, and that 45% of the country's workforce is engaged in
> >"flexible" work, with people unable to find full-time or permanent
> >jobs.
> > The study, which was produced through an analysis of labour
> >force surveys by Statistics Canada surveys, stands in sharp contrast
> >with the oft-expressed claim that the growing Canadian economy is
> >creating a stronger, more secure labour market.
> > "We hear an awful lot about the new economic boom," said Dr.
> >John Shields, the author of the study.
> > "But, I think there is still a real question about what that means
> >for people in the labour market.
> > "This study clearly reveals a great wage differential between
> >people who have stable jobs and those with flexible employment,"
> >Dr. Shields said.
> > "The labour market is polarized between stable, secure types of
> >employment and insecure, inadequately compensated employment."
> > According to Dr. Shields, 45% of Canadian workers are en-
> >gaged in flexible work (defined as part-time and non-permanent),
> >earning an average of $5 to $8 less an hour than full time workers.
> > The study goes on to suggest that these flexible workers have
> >little chance of improving their wage.
> > "All of the indicators show that this is the emerging trend," said
> >Dr. Shields, "It's the new labour market."
> > The Ryerson report also introduced a new employment-vul-
> >nerability measure intended to reflect the amount of underem-
> >ployment in the society, rather than just unemployment.
> > "Looking at traditional unemployment isn't enough," Dr. Shields
> >said.
> > "It masks the tremendous underemployment in our economy,
> >people who are working part time who don't want to be. They want
> >more work, but just aren't able to find it."
> > While the official unemployment rate in the country is 8.4%, the
> >Ryerson study estimates that as many as 20.3% of Canadians are
> >underemployed or otherwise lack employment security and an
> >adequate level of wages.
> > "If we look at the employment problem from that perspective,
> >the real unemployment rate is two-and-a half times larger," Dr.
> >Shields said.
> > "What's really going on in the labour market is an increase in
> >more-peripheral and more-vulnerable types of employment," Dr.
> >Shields says.
> > "I think that's very serious for families."
> >
> >
> >
>
>
