[asia-apec 1276] Canadian workers do NOT benefit from "boom"

[BAYAN]

>From: Ruth_E._Perkins at campuslife.utoronto.ca (Ruth E. Perkins)
>
>Ryerson study finds economic boom is little benefit to Canadian workers
>
>     The full text of the report can be found at:
>     www.research.ryerson.ca/~ors/research/job.html
>
>TORONTO, June 2 /CNW/ - The employment situation for Canadians is much
>more precarious than traditional measures show and is not improving
>despite a strong economy, a study at Ryerson Polytechnic University
>concludes.
>
>More than 53% of the workforce aged 25 to 59, or 6.7 million Canadians,
>are in vulnerable employment situations because they lack stable work or
>adequate employment income. And the study found that the real unemployment
>rate for Canada in May, 1998, would be 20.3%, rather than 8.4%, if those
>who were significantly underemployed were also counted.
>
>``Our statistics run counter to the official story of an economic
>boom,'' says Dr. John Shields, co-author of the study with Dr. Michael
>Burke, both of the Politics and Public Administration Department at
>Ryerson University and senior researchers with the Ryerson Social
>Reporting Network. ``We found that part-time and temporary work, and
>low-paying jobs have replaced full-time, permanent positions. The kind
>of jobs that are being created are undermining the foundation for middle
>class life in Canada.''
>
>     The full text of the report can be found at:
>     www.research.ryerson.ca/~ors/research/job.html
>
>     The study also found:
>
>  -  more than 52% of Canadian workers earn less than $15 per hour
>
>  -  3.2 million Canadians, about one-fifth of the labour force, are
>     structurally excluded from the labour market in that they are either
>     unemployed or significantly underemployed
>
>  -  about 45% of workers between the ages of 25 and 59 are employed in
>     flexible forms of work, or less than full-time, permanent positions
>
>  -  flexible forms of work pay between $5 to $8 per hour less than
>     permanent full-time work
>
>  -  women in general and single mothers in particular are significantly
>     over-represented among flexible workers and those in vulnerable
>     employment
>
>  -  those in unions or working in the public sector were protected from
>     the worst inequalities found in flexible and vulnerable forms of work.
>
>The researchers analyzed the monthly labour force surveys conducted by
>Statistics Canada. They have developed three new indices to measure
>quality of employment including the Employment Vulnerability Index,
>measuring adequacy of employment income and job stability. The
>Vulnerability Index shows that 53.6% of Canadian workers were in
>vulnerable employment situations in May, 1998.

>
>In late fall, the Ryerson Social Reporting Network will release its
>findings for 1999.
>
>For further information: Dr. John Shields, Department of Politics,
>Ryerson, (416) 979-5000, ext. 6167; Dr. Mike Burke, Department of Politics,
>Ryerson, (416) 979-5000, ext. 6260
>
>