(The following article is from the January 1-15, 2010 issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 133 Herkimer St., Unit 502, Hamilton, ON, L8P 2H3.)

PV Ontario Bureau

The youth continue to be hard-hit by the so-called "jobless recovery" facing the working class in Canada, a new report from Statistics Canada has found. The unemployment rate for young workers under 25 remains at a record high at of over fifteen per cent, with close to half a million youth looking for work. In British Columbia alone, youth unemployment is up over 56 per cent since this time last year.

     The report comes at the same time as a UN study warning of a double-dip recession if stimulus funds stop. Firms have mainly begun to restock inventories, rather than respond to stronger consumer or investor demand, the study said.

     "It is going to be a cold winter soon. A lot of people will be trudging through the snow because they can't afford a car, turning the heat down because they can't afford the bills. All while homelessness among youth is rising," said Johan Boyden, General Secretary of the Young Communist League.

     "I think many people will be angry to read this report, like me. Of course the fightback needs more than anger - but we cannot tolerate this. These are not just numbers. They are our friends, our relatives. Some we are not related to by birth or by marriage, but they are our family, they are the sisters and brothers of our class," Boyden said.

     These topics were up front and center at a conference of young workers organized by the Young Communist League at Hamilton's Solidarity House in late November. The conference, attended by about twenty young workers (most of who were unemployed) heard reports from young union activists, community organizers and other young workers about fighting back against the economic crisis.

     Presenters discussed the situation of temp workers, efforts to organize campaigns for higher minimum wages and affordable housing, organizing the unemployed in Hamilton, as well as the Ontario Days of Action and a brave story about young workers organizing hotel workers.

     Another aspect of the impact on the crisis is debt, Boyden said. "We are `generation credit,' we are sent letters at the age of 18 requesting we purchase credit cards, and we are encouraged not to think of heavy personal debt as a major problem - when in fact this is insanity," he added. The heavy debt burden that many young people are facing is at record levels. (The Canadian student debt clock has reached $13,389,090,000, for example).

     Jeff, a young grocery worker and presenter at the conference from the Ontario YCL Committee, talked about his situation and the broader fightback. "The workload [in my store] is sickening on some nights, and you basically have to hurt and exhaust your body just to get the stock up," he said. "Intimidation and guilt-tripping is quite common, particularly when requesting particular nights of the week off. In fact, I had booked this weekend off, and they put me on the schedule."

     "The YCL demands an income that allows all people to more than meet their basic needs, under safe working conditions with full benefits including pensions, health and dental care, statutory holidays, time off with pay for training programs, and so on. As young Communists, we believe that only socialism can guarantee meaningful employment - but we don't insist that everyone we work with share out long-term view," he said.

     "Joint struggle for our future is the best atmosphere in which to discuss our ideas about building a better Canada. The Young Communist League links these demands for jobs to the right to peace, education, quality-leisure time, an end to racism, sexism and national oppression, and the right to participate in decision making. We think that this will unite different sections of youth across Canada with others fighting against monopoly capitalism: workers, women, the peace movement, other student and youth organizations and many others."

     "United, real progress can be made," he added. "Unity is the best trait we can have in a society, because it creates a mutual responsibility for each of us to look after each others interests as a whole."