The trend in wages
In real terms, the average hourly full-time
wage for young Canadians is less than what
it was 30 years ago. Between 1981 and the
late 1990s, real wages for men and women
aged 17 to 24 declined steadily, and these
wages have only partially recovered over the
last decade.16 A Statistics Canada analysis
shows that the key factors suppressing
real-wage growth among workers under 24
include lower unionization rates, shorter job
tenures, and a reduced presence in both
high-paying public service sectors (such as
education and health) and high-paying occupations (such as natural and social sciences).17
what the trends mean for
today’s young workers
Late Generation Y workers are victims of bad
timing. Many entered the labour market after
the economic recession of 2008-2009, a time
marked by high unemployment rates. What
they found was a highly competitive market,
with fewer middle-income jobs.
On the labour demand side, employers now
compete globally for talent, and they want
employees who can help them maximize
productivity—immediately. They now lean towards a more flexible workforce that enables
them to cut costs at times of economic or revenue downturns. This flexibility translates into
decreased job security and lower salaries.
Chronically high unemployment rates and
increased competition for fewer middleincome jobs have also contributed to greater
underemployment among young workers.
Eduardo Leite/iStock/Thinkstock
For new grads and Generation Y15 workers
who are seeking employment outside the
trades or professions where deficits exist, it
is difficult to find a good entry-level job.
This may ease up in the longer term as more
workers retire; in the short term, however,
young workers are competing not only against
each other, but also against older workers
who choose to stay employed past age 65.
Many are taking on work that is temporary,
part-time, or contractual, with no benefits
and poor income prospects. Labour Force
Survey data confirms that the rate of growth
in non-secure employment is increasing at a
faster pace among young workers than
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