Nearly 30% of the world’s essential service workers, such as those at the forefront of the Covid-19 pandemic, are underpaid, receiving on average 26% less compared to other workers, according to the ILO.
According to the main conclusions of the “World Social and Employment Outlook (WESO) 2023 — The value of essential work” of the International Labor Organization (ILO), countries must improve the working conditions and income of these workers who are found in areas like El health, safety, food, transport or cleaning.
In the 90 countries surveyed by the ILO with available data, more than half (52%) of employment is performed by essential workers, although in high-income countries the proportion is lower (34%).
According to the report, worldwide, 29% of these workers are underpaidthat is, they earn less than two-thirds of the median hourly wage.
On average, essential workers earn 26% less than other workers and only two-thirds of that difference is due to education and experience, the ILO highlights.
In the food sector, the share of low-wage essential workers is particularly high at 47%, and in the cleaning and sanitation sectors it is 31%.
These sectors use large proportion of immigrantsespecially in high-income countries.
The study also indicates that close to one in three essential workers have a temporary contract, although there are considerable differences between countries and sectors, with the food industry registering 46% of temporary workers.
In low-income countries, more than 46% of essential workers work long hourslong shifts being more frequent in the transport sector, where 42% of essential workers work more than 48 hours a week.
A substantial part of essential workers around the world also have irregular or reduced hours and only 17% have social protection.
To ensure the continuity of essential services during future pandemics or other crises, ILO recommends greater investment in infrastructure, productive capacity and human resources in these key sectors.
“Lack of investment, especially in health and food systems, contributes to a ddecent work efficiency that undermines both social justice and economic resilience.
Among the measures to be taken by the different countries, the ILO advocates that occupational health and safety systems cover all sectors and workers.
The organization also defends the improvement of the remuneration of essential workers, to reduce the wage gap with respect to other workers, that is, through negotiated or legal minimum wages.
Safe and predictable working hours must also be guaranteed through regulation, including collective bargaining, and adaptation of legal frameworks so that workers are covered by social protection.
Source: Observadora
