18 May 2015: Warning against “widespread insecurity in the global employment market,” the International Labour Organization (ILO) has published a report that indicates that 75% of workers are employed on temporary or short-term contracts in informal jobs. The report, titled ‘World Employment and Social Outlook 2015: The Changing Nature of Jobs,’ which represents 84% of the global workforce, also underscores that women are disproportionately among those in temporary and part-time employment.

The report notes that while wage and salaried work is growing, it still accounts for only half of global employment, with wide variations across regions. For example, in Central and South-Eastern Europe, around eight in ten workers are employees, while in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa the figure is about two in ten. Furthermore, even among wage and salaried workers, less than half are working on a permanent contract. The report also underscores that despite the positive steps made towards improving pension coverage, social protection, such as unemployment benefits and health, is still primarily available only for stable employees. ILO further underlines that in 2013, only 16 % of self-employed workers contributed to a pension scheme.

The report emphasizes the need for regulations to protect workers from arbitrary or unfair treatment and to enable effective contracts between employers and workers. It also addresses the increasing importance of global supply chains in shaping employment and income patterns. For example, an estimate based on some 40 countries concludes that more than one in five jobs is linked to global supply chains, or those that contribute to the production of goods and services, which are either consumed or further processed in other countries.

ILO estimates that global unemployment figures reached 201 million in 2014, which is 30 million more than before the global economic crisis began in 2008. ILO Director-General Guy Ryder noted that the shift from traditional employment to more non-standard forms of employment is often associated with the rise in inequality and poverty rates in many countries. He stated that policies must stimulate investment opportunities to boost job creation and productivity, while ensuring income security for all workers. [UN Press Release][Publication Website] [Publication: World Employment and Social Outlook 2015: The Changing Nature of Jobs]