Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Employment and Workers Rights, Declan Kearney MLA has welcomed the publication of a report by the Nevin Economic Research Institute which analyses the impact precarious work has on young people.

The report notes how the economic crisis of 2007-2008 has made the nature of employment for young people more precarious. The report found that since the crisis full-time employment has been harder to find for young people who are instead having to opt for part-time employment.  

The report cited that from 2007-2008 28.5% of non-student young workers worked in a part-time job because they could not find a full-time job, however by 2018-’19 this had increased to 39%. In terms of employment as a whole, the report noted that employment rates among younger people are considerably lower than they were in 2007 with 18,000 fewer young people in employment in 2019.

Speaking on this report the Sinn Féin MLA stated:

“This report highlights the prevalence of precarious work in our society and the impact that it is having particularly on our young people.

“The rise in precarious work is worrying given that by its nature it disrupts the ability of workers to engage in long-term financial planning or to take out a mortgage. 

“The lack of certainty has also been found to create anxiety and has adversely impacted the mental health of workers.

“This report raises the need for a new conversation on the labour market, which to date has been focused on the quantity of employment rather than the quality of employment.

“Sinn Féin is committed to leading this conversation as we have done in the past by developing policy proposals on the living wage and by ending zero-hour contracts. 

“Sinn Féin will seek to deliver a new Employment Model which will better the lives of all our young people, who have been disadvantaged by the financial crisis.”