Prioritizing Sustainable Jobs

Prioritizing Sustainable Jobs

Introduction

Sustainable employment is instrumental in good working and living conditions. Fulltime workers, who are well compensated for their jobs, improve the economy. In addition, the country also combats racial and gender inequality in employment.[1] The poverty rates also reduce because of better living standards afforded by decent income. In Ontario, Ford is trying to create sustainable employment, which has many benefits for racialized and non-racialized men and women, such as lowering the gender gap in payment and reducing unemployment rates.

Prioritizing Sustainable Jobs

For various reasons, I believe that Ford will be prioritizing sustainable jobs. Firstly, under Doug’s administration, the province of Ontario led in “overall employment increases across the country.”[2] Ontario added 41,000 jobs in January 2020, because of full-time work. Creating jobs benefits men and women regardless of their race and gender, reducing unemployment rates in Ontario.[3] Again, Ford’s ‘Open for business’ mentality will increase job security. Ford’s administrators are willing to work with job creators to promote employee protection and avail jobs. The minimum wage is also high in Ontario, as evidenced by the high employment rate. Pam Frache admitted, “The strong job numbers confirm what we have been saying… raising the minimum wage is good for workers and the economy.”[4] The statement confirms that Ford is keen on ensuring that laborers are well-paid and receive benefits for their work. Ontario also plans to implement the $15 minimum in 2025, which will improve worker compensation and promote the economy.[5] The racialized groups and women would benefit from this wage minimum as they receive low wages in the country. [6]The red tape bill is also about to be passed. This bill eliminates unwanted legislation to make Ontario a competitive place to work. Given the existing success of Ford’s programs and plans for Ontario’s labor force, it is evident that Ford is eager to create sustainable jobs in Ontario.

Importance of Sustainable jobs in Reducing Poverty and Inequality for Men and Women  

Sustainable jobs reduce the racialized income gap. As the gap between full and part-time closes, the racialized income gap reduces. This is because more people who identify as racialized would have sustainable jobs. They would have access to well-paying occupations like their non-racialized counterparts. A 2016 census illustrated that 21.3% of racialized Ontarians earned below the low-income measure after-tax, compared to 11.5% of non-racialized citizens.[7] Comparatively, among men, racialized individuals made 88 cents for every dollar made by a non-racialized male. Sustainable employment bridges this racial gap and gives the racialized community an equal opportunity in the job market. Full-time employment improves working conditions for the racialized group.

Equally, sustainable jobs reduce unemployment rates. In Ontario, racialized women “had the highest unemployment rate at 10%,” which was followed by racialized men at 8.7%.[8] The non-racialized men and women follow at 7% and 6.3%, respectively. The statistics reveal that unemployment affects both genders and is irrespective of one’s face. Women also spend more hours doing unpaid domestic work, contributing to their low earnings.[9] Everyone is affected negatively by poverty resulting from unemployment. Equally, the percentages reveal who is most vulnerable to unemployment and poverty; the racialized population. Notably, the Insurance Act does not favor racialized groups and women who are in temporary employment. Evidently, temporary employment leaves out a majority of the racialized and non-racialized groups. To end unemployment and promote better living standards, sustainable jobs are essential.

Women empowerment lies in sustainable jobs. Racialized women are most likely to work in the lowest-earning occupations. This percentage was 66% higher than the non-racialized men in the bottom 10% average earnings.[10] Females also have few opportunities to choose their occupations and whether or not to work full time or partly. Although less likely than their racialized counterparts, non-racialized women also worked in low-wage jobs. If women are underemployed, there are health risks. The females are unable to cover health costs, worsening their physical and mental wellbeing. Deskilling is also a challenge. In this case, employers deliberately do not recognize the skills and experience to pay them meager wages. Accordingly, sustainable jobs are instrumental in making women financially stable. With more income for women, they can take care of their health and families. The employment gap between men and women also reduces. Women empowerment is influenced by sustainable employment.

Similarly, the gender gap in employment will decline. As noted above, men make more than women regardless of their race. In 2014, Canadian women made 88 cents to a dollar made by men. Similarly, women in fulltime employment earned 74% of men’s salaries.[11] Compared to non-racialized men, racialized women earned 76 dollars for every dollar that the man-made. Non-racialized women also made less money than men. The wage gap between men and women has remained “virtually unchanged since 2006,” implying that unless employment practices change, women would always be disadvantaged.[12] Sustainable jobs give men and women fair wages and full-term benefits, curbing the difference. Women will earn as much as men in the same field.

Conclusion

In Ontario, Ford is trying to create sustainable employment, which has many benefits for racialized and non-racialized men and women, such as lowering the gender gap in payment and reducing unemployment rates. Ford’s full-time employment strategies created 41,000 jobs in Ontario in January 2020. Partnerships and policy amendments also have positive results. Sustainable employment empowers working women, closes the gender gap, and reduces the racialized wage gap. Sustainable employment promotes equity and reduces poverty.

Works Cited

Block, Sheila, and Grace-Edward Galabuzi. Persistent Inequality Ontario’s Colour-coded Labour Market. Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 2019.

Dhanraj, Travis. “Doug Ford government takes credit for Ontario adding 41,400 jobs in January.” Global News, 2019, globalnews.ca/news/4939868/ford-government-ontario-employment-january/. (Accessed 4 Feb 2020).

“Unemployment, Underemployment, and Precarity for Women, Indigenous Black, Racialized, and Immigrant Women.” Course Notes, n.d.

[1] See Block and Galabuzi 2

[2] See Dhanraj

[3] See Block and Galabuzi 4

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] See Block and Galabuzi 4

[7] Ibid, p. 14.

[8] Ibid, p. 4.

[9] See Unemployment, Underemployment, and Precarity for Women.

[10] See Block and Galabuzi 4

[11] See Unemployment, Underemployment, and Precarity for Women.

[12] See Block and Galabuzi 17