According to a new Canadian medical study, workers with no job security develop more physical and mental health problems than full-time workers. The research, carried out by Dr. Charles Muntaner of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto, found that insecurity related to employment status can lead to anxiety and depression, which in turn can cause cardiovascular disorders and other health problems.

Regarding temporary workers, Muntaner says that “on average, these types of employment conditions give a lot of flexibility to the employer but create a huge amount of insecurity, psychological anxiety and symptoms of depression among the workers because they don’t know when they are going to lose their job or when they’re going to find another one”. The report also indicates that in the current global marketplace, employers are trying to compete against one another by reducing labour costs. Consequently, they are more likely to offer part-time or contract work.

The research also shows that:

- The mortality rate is higher for part-time and temporary workers than full-time workers;

- Workers with unsteady jobs are 3 to 4 times more likely to develop a form of mental illness;

- Job-related stress results in a 50 per cent increase in the risk of cardiac disease for workers with no job security;

- Part-time and temporary workers face more dangerous working conditions than full-time workers due to their non-permanent status.

Problems related to precarious work are more prevalent in countries like the United States, England, Australia and Canada. In the last 12 months here in Canada, the rate of part-time employment went up 3.5 per cent, compared to 0.9 per cent for full-time jobs. Across the European Union, 19 per cent of workers are part time while 15 per cent are temporary.

For decades, Canada Post has also used part-time and temporary workers.  However, the union has pushed back.  For example, Appendix ‘’P’’ of the Urban Operations’ Collective Agreement allows us to maintain a minimum level of 78 per cent full-time hours.  The union has also negotiated full benefits for part time workers at Canada Post and four per cent of the basic hourly rate in lieu of benefits for temporary workers.

But we need to continue demanding more full-time positions.  At the work floor level, we need to push the employer to combine part-time positions to create full-time positions.

Our future depends on this!