The Social Recession

28 Feb 2008

Sally Anne Kinahan, Assistant General Secretary

Thankfully, the national obsession with houses - as opposed to homes, or even housing - has diminished to the point where it no longer dominates each and every social contact. Unfortunately, it appears to have been replaced by an even greater obsession, namely: is the boom over, is this a slowdown or a recession?

This fixation with abstract indices and figures is business-led and generally of the 'never mind the quality, feel the width' variety. Because what it utterly fails to capture and reflect is that while we may teeter on the brink of an economic recession, we are currently in the midst of a full-blown social recession.

For the majority of our greatly-expanded workforce, work now dominates to the detriment of all else. Family, community, social, religious, political and voluntary involvement (including trade unions) have all suffered. Indeed, it is arguable that quality family life has become a major casualty of the boom.

In many respects, the achievement of a real work-life balance has been made virtually unattainable by the neoliberal model of growth we have pursued over the last two decades. After all, achieving that elusive balance presupposes the existence of both good quality work and good quality services that support family life.

But over the last decade, in particular, we have created thousands of poorly-paid, insecure and low grade jobs. The 2006 CSO National Employment Survey (published Dec. '07) reveals that over 350,000 people earn less than €10 an hour and almost one million earn between €10 and €20 per hour. The median is €15.39 per hour, which means that half of all workers are earning less than this figure. And, of course, the pressure felt by people is intensified by this country's high cost-of-living.

Insecure and poorly-paid work tears at the social fabric and damages community. With the move to greater part-time, casual and agency-type work we sacrifice what is valuable in working life: the sense of participation and self-esteem; the opportunities to develop new skills and realise potential; the longer-term security it gives to family life; the social cohesion.

Those in insecure employment will turn increasingly to public services only to find that, here too, the market has successfully won a retreat and a shrinkage of services to create more room for private profit. There are now evident deficiencies in healthcare, education, public transport, housing and in the crucial absence of a national infrastructure of care.

All of these factors hinder full participation in work, family and community life and create greater inequality.

On the occasion of Work-Life Balance Day, it would be churlish not to acknowledge the work of the National Framework Committee, or those workplaces that have put in place policies to facilitate flexibility and allow people greater control.

However, a recent study from the National Centre for Partnership - New Models of High Performance Work Systems - revealed a national usage of flexible working systems of just under 17%, which confirms CSO data from 2004 showing some 80% of working people have no control over their start and finish times.

It would seem clear that the voluntary approach to flexible working has failed to deliver, with only limited progress to date. For many the situation has actually worsened. It is time for a change of direction. Policies must be put in place to extend an a legal right to flexible working to all; provide meaningful opportunities for low-skilled, low paid and vulnerable workers to access skills' development and to create an infrastructure of care and enhanced supports for working parents.

In 2003, the UK provided a legal right to flexible working for parents and later, carers. It was strongly resisted by employers' groups. However, in 2007 employers were so enthused by the benefits that had flowed from this new way of working that 92 percent of their number stated a willingness to seriously consider requests for changed work patterns from all employees.

But while the business case may be important, there are far more compelling reasons for shifting the balance: to improving people's quality of life, for more time with families, to facilitate learning opportunities and skills development, to participate in community activity and have a life outside the workplace. The availability and distribution of time, like wealth, is fundamental to the creation of an equitable society.

Unions have a crucial role to play in this regard, by negotiating changes in workplace practice and influencing national policy developments to demand a realignment of work and family life.

 

This article originally appeared in the Irish Times, on February 28, 2008