September 2013
Unemployment – the local face of a global concern
Unemployment affects everyone, particularly young people whose ability to find work has been hindered by the loss of jobs after the 2009 economic recession. Four years on, youth unemployment remains high throughout the world. In New Zealand, 75,000 Kiwis agead 15-24 are not in employment, education or training.
For young people on the margins, the repercussions of long-term unemployment can be scarring.
Each year New Zealand’s Catholic Bishops use Social Justice Week to consider Catholic social teaching on a specific social justice issue relevant to our society. This year the focus for 8 to 14 September is on ‘meaningful work for the young worker’.
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has provided resources for Catholic parishes, schools and the wider community. The core booklet Walk Alongside: Meaningful work for the young worker helps us to consider what it is like to be a young worker today and the difficulties young people face as they look for stable work. The bishops also challenge individuals and communities to consider how they can accompany or ‘walk alongside’ the young people around them. Other resources include posters, prayer cards and liturgical resources, as well as a special website on the issue.
Now more than ever, young people need the encouragement of their wider community and of the church.
The local face of a global concern
On his way to World Youth Day last month, Pope Francis talked with journalists about his concern for the impact of the economic recession on young unemployed people. In New Zealand, one in six young people looking for work cannot find a job. This is a concern for the whole community.
Work that is meaningful enhances human dignity. It gives people enough to live on and leads to lifelong, secure employment.
New Zealand’s labour market has been slow to recover from the economic recession and the number of jobs available is still below pre-recession levels. Young people are often at the end of long job queues. New entry jobs for young graduates are few. A baby blip in the early 1990s means there are now 42,000 more people aged 20 to 25 entering the labour force than five years ago.
Fact – 42 percent of all casual workers are aged 15 to 24. Young people tend to work in casual employment with no fixed hours or job security. These jobs tend to be the first to go in times of financial hardship.
Many tertiary graduates are struggling to find work in their field of study. In 2012, the Ministry of Education told Victoria University primary teaching students that only a fifth of graduates would find work within a year of graduating. A recent graduate, Nicole Jenness, has applied for more than 60 teaching roles and, after 10 months of searching, has yet to find a teaching job.
Pope Francis has said, ‘We have all become accustomed to this disposable culture… With all the young people out of work, even they are affected by a culture in which everything is disposable.’ Government responses such as the Starting-Out Wage and the 90-day probationary period continue to reinforce a disposable culture where young people may be seen as a source of cheap labour and deprived of a just wage.
Economic recessions come and go, but the impact of insecure work and unemployment on young people and our community can be long lasting. For young people on the margins, job insecurity and unemployment further pushes them towards disengagement because they miss out on a sense of belonging in society.
Reflecting the sentiment of Pope Francis we, as a community, are called to walk together towards a culture of inclusion where the skills and contribution of everyone can be recognised and realised.
Don’t give up – bishops
New Zealand’s Catholic Bishops warn that young unemployed people may face decades of disadvantage. Introducing the Social Justice Week booklet, they write,
‘To young people experiencing difficulties in finding permanent, secure work, we say, “Do not give up hope…. Each of you is a precious and valued member of our society. We are not giving up on you – please don’t give up on yourself”.
‘To employers, we say, “Do not give in to stereotypes that young people may be unreliable or unmotivated. Employers tell us that often their youngest employees exceed their expectations. Make a commitment to give reliable and secure work to your young workers and expect loyalty and commitment in return. …
‘To our parishes and the wider community, we say, “Get to know the young people in your community who are looking for work. Talk to them about your experiences of work and support them in their job search.” …
‘In Social Justice Week this year, it would be great if we all make an effort to talk to those around us about our experiences of work and of looking for work. We may all be surprised at what we learn from one other and how we can help one another.’
Ka’isa’s story
One of my first jobs was cleaning in a home for the elderly. There was a strong union presence. I didn’t think much of [the union] and didn’t see the point of joining at the time. The home for the elderly was a pleasant place to work.
I took all of this for granted. In my second job at a hotel, I found we were not given the cleaning products and tools we needed to do our job properly. My hours were constantly changed without notice. I felt as if I was doing my job to the best of my ability, but every day the manager would tell me off or put me down.
I didn’t want to question the boss even though I knew he was wrong. My fellow workmates felt the same as me. I was the youngest employee, so to see my older workmates just as scared as I was made me feel insecure.
At my uncle’s suggestion, I joined the Service and Food Workers Union and became involved. My experience at the hotel improved and I felt more confident being able to give advice to and support my workmates. The manager continued to put me down every day saying I was lazy and useless – until I handed in my resignation after two years when he told me I was his best worker and asked me to stay to train new staff!
So few young people are involved in unions because there is currently not much awareness or education about what unions can offer … I see the main point of unions as creating and upholding the dignity of workers in their jobs.
Ka’isa Beech is currently a student at Victoria University studying for a degree in Public Policy and Music while working part time. She is a member of the Justice, Peace and Development Commission in the Wellington Archdiocese.
Youth wage far from a just wage
Earlier this year, the government reintroduced a youth minimum wage called the Starting-Out Wage. This allows employers to pay young workers 80 percent of the adult minimum wage during their first six months on the job. The Starting-Out Wage can apply to all 16- and 17-year-olds, and to 18- and 19-year-olds if they have been on the unemployment benefit for more than six months.
Economically there are conflicting arguments about whether this policy helps to create more jobs and if it truly benefits young unemployed people. Regardless, the Starting-Out Wage makes a sweeping assumption that young people do not need a wage that meets their basic living expenses.
It assumes that the work of a young person is worth less than the same work of an older person. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states ‘a just wage is the legitimate fruit of work’. A just wage should be able to meet a worker’s basic living costs (#2434).
Caritas told the select committee considering the Starting-Out Wage legislation that young people contribute their income towards wider family costs, as well as to personal costs of living and study. For some young people dependent on public transport, simply getting to work is costly.
Resources for schools
Catholic schools’ resources focus on the nature of work as an important part of life. The teacher’s booklet Justice at Work draws on key ideas from the core Social Justice Week booklet Walk Alongside, adapting them for a younger readership.
Learning is underpinned by the enduring understanding of how God works in our lives to make us more Christ-like. We are in God’s creative and loving hands.
Primary school materials explore the meaning of work, why people work, and different kinds of work.
Older students (Years 7-13) are encouraged to research and engage in topics such as workers’ rights and responsibilities, and using our gifts in working towards the Reign of God.
The schools poster sent out this year doubles as a board game, using commonly heard phrases by those seeking work.
It aims to encourage conversations about the uncertain future of work for many young people.
These conversations are important as preparation for the challenges ahead.
Prayers, liturgy and worksheets are available for downloading from the Caritas website.
School visits are planned for September.
A website on work
Archbishop John Dew and Wellington Sister of Mercy Marcellin Wilson feature in a video of first job experiences on Caritas’s special website ‘Meaningful work for the young worker’.
Video and personal stories from workers of all ages and walks of life are designed to promote reflection on what constitutes meaningful work in today’s environment.
The website also features information on finding work, workers’ rights, and facts and policy about young people and employment.
Find out more about the Starting-Out Wage. Does it help or hinder efforts to find work? Is it fair? What does the 90-day probationary period say about our society’s willingness to provide young people with stable, secure employment.
Join us online, debate the issues and share your story. The website is updated regularly.
Caritas: Who we are
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is the Catholic Bishops’ agency for justice, peace and development. It responds to poverty and injustice in the world by:
- Supporting community development projects in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific;
- Funding emergency relief work following major disasters;
- Working to change structures that cause poverty in New Zealand and overseas;
- Helping New Zealanders to understand the causes of poverty and injustice, and to be informed about aid, development and justice issues.
Caritas is part of the international Caritas network of Catholic relief, development and social service organisations.