Growth in part-time, precarious work a warning sign in October job numbers report

November 4, 2016 | News Release

VANCOUVER - BC had a modestly better month for jobs numbers released by Stats Can Friday morning, but continued disproportionate growth in lower-paying part-time employment, and a big jump in the unemployment rate are cause for concern, says the BC Federation of Labour.

“The trend is worrisome,” says BCFED president Irene Lanzinger. “We are deeply concerned that any growth in jobs is fueled by a continued rise in precarious part-time work.”

Stats Can reported that BC employers created 6,200 part-time jobs in October. And Lanzinger says that year-over-year numbers show that 75% of all new jobs are in precarious part-time work.

“That three out of every four new jobs are part-time and temporary is alarming,” she says. “It shows that overall, BC’s economy and job growth continue to be weak,” she says.

“These are jobs which don’t generally provide benefits, and come with lower pay that won’t support families in Canada’s most expensive province to live,” she said

The 9,000 new permanent jobs in October makes up some of the ground from the 20,000 jobs full time jobs lost in September she says, noting that the overall unemployment rate rose by almost 10% to 6.2% with more people looking for work.

With a provincial election set for May, Lanzinger says it’s critical that both the Clark government and the NDP opposition led by John Horgan address the crisis in good jobs and good wages.