Unpaid work is not the solution to chronic youth unemployment
Earlier this month, Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz said that young people who can't find work should volunteer or work for free in order to "get some real life experience" and avoid falling into long-term unemployment. Poloz seemed to imply that it is solely up to young people to improve their dire job prospects, and that young Canadians "living in (their parents') basement" are at least partly responsible for the country's high youth jobless rate.
Saint John, N.B. – October 18, 2014 – Katelyn Gowlett from Bayswater, New Brunswick has won the UFCW’s esteemed international scholarship – totalling $8,000. Katelyn is the daughter of Randy Gowlett, a member of UFCW Canada Local 1288P at Pepsi in Saint John, New Brunswick.
Over the last two years, Think Forward has explored a number of economic issues currently affecting young people, from the injustice of unpaid internships to the crisis of youth unemployment to rising student debt in Canada. Often we've emphasized how difficult it is for recent graduates to find stable, full-time work in their field that pays a living wage. But one topic we haven't discussed is the major advantage that unions provide to young workers in the face of austerity from both politicians and employers.
Ottawa – September 8, 2014 – More than 6,000 people gathered at the University of Ottawa from August 21 to 24 to take part in the first-ever pan-Canadian Peoples’ Social Forum (PSF). The event attracted members of many different social movements from across the country.
Toronto - August 29, 2014 – Each year UFCW Canada offers 18 UFCW Canada - BDM Scholarships worth $1,000 each to active members and their family members for post-secondary study.
Harrison Hot Springs, B.C. – August 26, 2014 – UFCW Canada's acclaimed Youth Internship Program (YIP) has wrapped up for another season, as 15 UFCW youth activists recently gathered in Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia.
