Young people at work and the rise of precarious employment

Lead Research Organisation: University of Greenwich
Department Name: Business School

Abstract

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Description The findings of the seminar can be grouped under three main headings.

1) Academic debate about young people in precarious employment
The first issue of debate across a number of the seminars was the use of the term "precarious employment". The structure of the seminars allowed for space for both speakers and participants to contribute to discussion. Inevitably it was impossible to reach a single, simple conclusion, but important aspects of discussion related to the extent to which precarious workers form a new emerging class within advanced capitalism (Standing 2011)), the ways in which the term "precarious" performs useful shorthand within political and policy debates, particularly at EU level, and issues of comparability (or not) of labour standards in different national settings. Important discussion also focused on the extent to which precariousness is created by a person's labour market position or by their wider life position, family circumstances, household situation, etc.

A further issue of academic definition related to the extent to which existing government data measures the various categories of precariousness as experiences of work change. Specifically, EU member states' Labour Force Surveys focus on common definitions of fixed-term and temporary employment which do not really capture the phenomenon more widely. These methodological issues were a consistent focus of discussion and a number of contributors made specific recommendations for improving measures of precarious employment.
A final important debate related to the definition of "young" workers. Specifically, international policy organisations take "young" to be under 25 years of age. But with an aging workforce and increasing levels and length of participation in education in most EU member states, people are making transitions into the labour market later than in previous generations. A number of participants therefore raised practical and conceptual challenges to the continued use of the precarious definition, although there was agreement that it would continue to be necessary to use this definition in comparative studies.

2) Evidence relating to young people and their experiences of precarious work
A large proportion of the papers and discussion focused on explaining and comparing the experiences of young, precarious workers from a variety of perspectives and in a range of national and sectoral contexts. Evidence was presented relating to the causes of precariousness focusing on changing labour market regulation, the effects of the financial crisis, regulation of employer behaviour etc. A number of papers also focused on the experiences of young people themselves and the way in which early experiences of unemployment and precarious work can create and reinforce patterns of precariousness throughout life.

Papers in later seminars presented evidence evaluating trade union and state policy responses to the rise of precarious employment among youth - questions of inclusion and representation were discussed in terms of different policy responses by the state and by trade unions and informal networks especially.

3) Policy aspects of debates about young people and precarious employment
There were important interventions on the relation between different forms of engagement. The role of education was one particular dimension of support as was the question of welfare policy: in both cases the extent of difference across Europe was a focus of discussion. Labour market activation policies were discussed as well although a recurring theme was the crisis of the state and the recession which influenced much of these discussions. Papers also looked at new forms of activity within the body of young workers and support policies through informal networks and social initiatives within civil society: the role of the Internet, the importance of sharing labour market information, the role of family and social networks.
Exploitation Route The seminars resulted in a serious debate among researchers and policy making and trade union officers about the big issue of young workers' labour market and social disadvantage. A number of research projects, working papers and academic articles were published on the examined issue since the end of the project. Many scholars and policy making practitioners and officers were inspired by the stimulating discussions in the ESRC seminar series on young precarious workers in the UK and beyond.
Sectors Education,Government, Democracy and Justice
URL http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/wbs/research/irru/ywesrc/
 
Description All members of the project are actively engaged in providing analysis and guidance to policy level institutions (mainly academic institutions and trade unions), while they have been successful in promoting projects from various academic research funding bodies across Britain and abroad. Several articles in top ranked academic journals, as well as policy making reports and edited book collections were also published.
First Year Of Impact 2011
Sector Education,Government, Democracy and Justice
Impact Types Policy & public services