THE CLC (Canadian Labour Congress) in Canada have produced a report exposing the fact that youth are bearing the brunt of the mass sackings, wage cuts and economic collapse in Canada.
The CLC (Canadian Labour Congress) report calls on young people to join the union and get organised to defend their rights it states: ‘Almost three years after the onset of the economic and financial crisis that sent shock waves through the world, the situation is ever more difficult for young Canadians.
‘Faced with soaring unemployment rates, increasingly insecure jobs and growing flexibility, they are particularly vulnerable to mass layoffs.
‘From Vancouver to Montreal, in some cases faced with very different realities, trade union organisations are taking on the huge challenge of protecting workers’ rights and extending their organising campaigns to colleges and universities.
‘Young people have not been spared by the crisis, young people, along with women, were among the first to experience the effects of the economic and financial crises.
‘They are usually the first to be laid off by companies, in accordance with the infamous “last in, first out” rule, as they are the workers with the least seniority.
‘Figures from 2009, one year into the crisis, show that unemployment rates for workers aged under 24 in Canada rose sharply to 16.4% from only 10% before the crisis.
‘The same trend can be observed with women. At present, in 2011, despite the Canadian federal government’s assurances that the crisis is well behind us, the latest figures seem to be pointing to the contrary.
‘Statistics on unemployment in Canada from the LFS Microdata and Historical Review show that the highest unemployment is for those aged between 15 and 24.
• 437,800 people that are unemployed are aged 15-24 year olds
• 108,200 people that are unemployed are aged 25 or over
• Unemployment rate for 15-24 years old – 15.3%
• Unemployment rate for those aged 25 or over 25 – 7%
‘Erin Harrison-Taylor, chair of the ITUC Youth Committee and former national representative for young workers in Canada explained: “The CLC (Canadian Labour Congress) decided to take action.
‘ “With the help of its affiliates, the CLC has been running a vast action plan for a number of years, aimed at reforming the unemployment insurance system and improving the state pension scheme in Canada.
‘ “A number of other campaigns are also underway, such as that on the minimum working age, aimed at abolishing child labour in Canada.’’ ’
The report continues: ‘Union membership rates within the CLC have increased steadily over recent years.
‘It currently stands at 20% of the labour force nationally, with peaks of over 35% in certain provinces like Manitoba. According to Erin Harrison-Taylor, this increase is thanks to a change in strategy.
‘Trade unions were faced with an unprecedented industrial crisis and many factories with high levels of union membership were relocated to the southern hemisphere.
‘Rising to this challenge, the CLC is now organising in other sectors such as services, which mainly employ young workers.
‘Public services are another leading sector for union activity.
‘Dialogue plays a central role in recruitment. Young members discuss with other young people in the workplace, explaining the benefits of union membership, the union struggle for higher minimum wages and improved health and safety laws.
‘Erin Harrison-Taylor insists: “Unions do not only work for their members; all workers benefit from trade union campaigns and the gains they secure.” ’
Under the head line ‘Minimum age campaign’ the CLC said: ‘Unlikely though it may seem, Canada is among the 26 countries that still haven’t ratified ILO Convention 138 concerning the minimum age for admission to employment, alongside Iran, India or Burma, thus opening the door to child labour.
‘This being intolerable for the trade union movement, the CLC launched a campaign on the minimum age. Even as we speak, millions of Canadians are unaware of this reality.
‘The campaign aims at identifying the weaknesses in Canada’s existing minimum age legislation and urging the Canadian authorities to ratify Convention 138.
‘The “Canadians Opposed to Child Labour” campaign is led by young trade union members in co-operation with social partners, student and civil society organisations.
‘The current laws on minimum age, whether federal, provincial or territorial, are contrary to Convention 138 and were further weakened in British Columbia and Alberta, where the minimum age for admission to employment was brought down to twelve.
‘The Convention states that the employment age should be no less than the compulsory school attendance age and that it should not, in any case, be under age 15.’
The CLC report goes on to explain how young workers in the Canadian food industry are highly exploited.
‘The UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers Canada) is a trade union involved in every branch of the food industry, from agricultural workers to those employed in food processing, warehousing and distribution, in short “from the field to the table”.
‘ “In this industry, work can begin at a very young age, as early as 15 or 16”, says Enver Harbans, UFCW national representative and member of the CLC’s Working Group on Young Workers.
‘ “That is why young workers make up almost 40% of our membership.
‘ “It is a dangerous sector and working to protect the occupational health and safety of all is one of our missions.”
‘For Harbans, the strength of the trade union movement in this sector lies in the diversity and the young age of its members.
‘ “The food industry is based on consumption patterns”, adds Enver Harbans.
‘ “If people buy less because the goods cost more, the employer tends to cut these costs, which will inevitably result in job cuts. And as usual, young workers will be the first out.” ’
The CLC report outlines the situation facing young people in Québec.
‘In Québec their are a lot of young workers in the computer game industry which is a very precarious industry as companies are constantly going bankrupt which means their entire staff loose their jobs.
‘Atïm León, trade union adviser at the Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec (FTQ) explains: “When we talk of precariousness, we are not necessarily talking of a lack of jobs but rather of impoverished workers. And not always necessarily in terms of wages.
‘ “Nowadays, many young workers take for granted that they will have to change jobs 15 times during the course of their working lives.
‘ “Montreal is the capital of videogames,” says Atïm León.
‘ “Scores of start-ups are created around this industry.
‘ “It draws in an army of young people who are prepared to drop their studies to join these SMEs (computer gaming companies).
‘ “They are lured in by gleaming new offices and gadgets, but reality catches up with them a few months later when the company goes bust.”
‘Precariousness is the rule in the video games sector, where the onus is on a flexible workforce and where stability is far from the norm.
‘Of course it is not the only sector that is affected by the crisis.
‘In Quebec as elsewhere, young people are the first to suffer the consequences.
‘The emergence of temporary jobs puts their future at risk since, in most cases, their temporary contracts do not include a retirement plan.
‘Teaching is another sector where young people are employed on a temporary basis.
‘28-year-old Jean-Thomas Courchesne, works as an English language teacher and is a member of the Youth Committee of the CSN (Confédération des syndicats nationaux).
‘Jean-Thomas Courchesne said: “Atypical employment – precarious, part-time, temporary, freelance or multiple employment arrangements without career opportunities – has doubled over the last ten years.
‘ “Currently, more than 30% of all jobs in Quebec are atypical.
‘ “Bosses claim that young workers want more flexibility whereas in actual fact we are moving away from job security”.
‘According to Jean-Thomas, things are evolving positively within the trade unions, especially in his union CSN.
‘At the CSN, where more than 25% of the membership is under 30, young workers feel they are better understood by the leadership.’
The CLC report highlights the summer school run by the CSN union: ‘For over 20 years, the CSN and its Youth Committee have been running an annual summer school called Formation Soleil.
‘This programme allows young union activists to attend a training course on trade unionism within the context of an outdoor vacation.
‘This training course is open to all CSN members under 30 with little or no trade union experience.
The course is aimed at raising awareness on the importance of activism and trade union action.
‘ “All the CSN Youth Committee members take part in facilitating sessions during Formation Soleil”, explains Marisol Durand of the health and social services employees’ union of Saint-Jérôme and member of the Youth Committee.
‘ “It is essential that we listen to our members and this summer school allows us to do it. In the healthcare sector where I work, a lot of young people are employed part time.
‘ “Thanks to the trade unions, they gain a better knowledge of their rights.”
‘This view that is echoed by Alexander Roy, the young president of the workers’ union at Papier Couché d’Atlantic, affiliated to the Fédération de l’industrie manufacturière: “The Youth Committee acts as a real driving belt.
‘ “Who better than young people to engage with young people?
‘ “We are their ambassadors. Year after year, we have the feeling we’re reaching more people.”
‘In Canada as elsewhere, precarious work has become a reality for large numbers of people and especially for young workers.
‘New forms of exploitation are the everyday reality of these young workers who ultimately experience nothing but that: part-time work, home-working, temporary work.
‘Trade unions are reviewing their practices and opening up more places for young people within their structures.
‘It is only with a strong and united trade union movement capable of ensuring trade union continuity that workers will be better protected in an increasingly aggressive world of work.’
