Precariat Banners

‘Precariat’ is a modern fusion of the words ‘precarious’ (referring to employment status) and ‘proletariat’, a term popularised by the economist Guy Standing. The precariat are likely to be in non-permanent work contracts, have low pay and have little or no in-work benefits. They are simultaneously always on-call and never guaranteed work.

‘The precariat has no occupational identity or narrative to give to their lives. This creates existential insecurity, and goes with the fact that for the first time in history many people have education above the level of labour they can expect to obtain.’

-Guy Standing, ‘The Precariat’

‘They are also less likely to be organised. UK union membership is weighted toward middle-income earners in permanent, full-time, professional jobs, and 77 per cent of members are over 35. Across OECD countries union membership has dropped from nearly 30 per cent to 16 per cent since 1985, and people in “non-standard” jobs, including those on fixed-term contracts or temporary workers, are 50 per cent less likely to be members than other workers.’

-Bethan Staton, Financial Times.