Casual Ised Work Force example essay topic

THE EMERGING UNDERCLASS Andrew Thompson "Young people are now the significant losers from the radical transformation in the nature and shape of work in Australia over the past two decades" (Kirby report, 2000) Once upon time it was commonplace to leave school at 16, get a job and be fairly confident of holding it until you were handed your gold watch upon retirement. Enter economic rationalism; downsizing and all of sudden things 'ain't' what they used to be. The casualisation of the work place has left many young people with no job security. When Adam Coote left school, he didn't feel like going to university, he'd had enough of school and wanted to join the work force straight way. It's a decision he has now come to regret. "I started working casually at factory, it was pretty boring but the money was good, then they lost a contract that they were counting on, all of a sudden me and about 20 others were told we were out of a job.

From there I've been working for different job agencies. For the last two years I haven't been at the same workplace for more than 6 weeks" It's a trend that's becoming all to common according to Cate Steinfort, Executive officer of Inner Eastern Lens, an organization aimed at battling the wave of youth unemployment. Mrs Steinfort says that employing on a casual basis has become a popular trend among large companies. "They have a much smaller wage bill, they have much less work cover, they don't have to have to carry staff in quiet times, They just pull people in when they need them, they don't have to carry all the costs for employing someone and keeping them employed". Those most prone to the change in the workforce are young unskilled workers who have no qualifications, but are enticed by the high wages earned on causal rates. It's these people, says Ms Steinfort, that will create a considerable problems in the future.

"They won't have the commitment to a job. They won't have any financial stability. They can't take a loan out on a house, they cant make any future plans; they are often kicked out of rental accommodation and can end up homeless" But the problem doesn't stop there; Cate says it could flow on, creating a recurring cycle, an unskilled underclass "It's called intergenerational unemployment. If they have children, then their children won't have a role mode, therefore won't be able to hold a job down either because they didn't see a working role model in the house" It's a problem Adam does not want to be part of. "Yeah I've had enough of it. It just gives you no stability, you just don't know if you " re going to have work next week or not" Adam is studying a pre- apprentice course at TAFE and one day hopes to gain an apprenticeship as a builder.

"I'm just looking forward to a job where I can roll up everyday, know what I'm expecting, see the same people and get to know a trade so I've got some skills"If the governments are looking at a pure economic outcome it is much better having a more trained less casual ised work force because it actually costs the society less in the long term", Cate says Cate feels the problem needs to be addressed as soon as possible. "The long term effect of a disengaged marginalised segment of society will have a very high cost on society and could see a massive rise in mental illness, abuse, social welfare and crimes". At a time when market freedom is so firmly entrenched in Government policy, the road ahead could be a rocky one.