Multifaceted precarity: pandemic experiences of recent immigrant women in the accommodation and food services sector

The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected those who face historical and ongoing marginalization. In centering pandemic experience of recent immigrant women in the accommodation and food services sector in Canada, we examine how their precarious work translated to experiences of work precarit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMC public health 2023-12, Vol.23 (1), p.2497-2497, Article 2497
Main Authors: Mũrage, Alice, Smith, Julia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accommodation
Accommodation and food services sector
Canada
Canada - epidemiology
COVID-19
COVID-19 pandemic
Emigrants and Immigrants
Employment
Epidemics
Female
Food
Food service
Food services
Health aspects
Hospitality industry
Humans
Immigrants
Income
Labor market
Marginality, Social
Marginalization
Marginalized groups
Mental Health
Pandemics
Part time employment
Psychological aspects
Recent immigrant women
Social aspects
Well being
Women
Women immigrants
Work environment
Work precarity
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Summary:The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected those who face historical and ongoing marginalization. In centering pandemic experience of recent immigrant women in the accommodation and food services sector in Canada, we examine how their precarious work translated to experiences of work precarity and wellbeing. This paper illuminates how pre-existing and ongoing marginalization are reproduced during a health crisis for those at the intersection of gender, race, migration, and labour inequities. Using semi-structured interviews and systematic analysis using the Work Precarity Framework, we found that the pandemic exacerbated pre-existing socio-economic marginalization and resulted in unique experiences of work precarity. The latter was experienced as precarity of work (unpredictable work hours and job or employment insecurity), precarity from work (inadequate incomes), and precarity at work (physical, psychological, and relational unsafety). Work precarity stood out as a social determinant of health in relation to its outcome of degraded mental health and wellbeing. Recognizing the role of policies in producing, reproducing, and distributing precarity, we recommend policy directions to reduce social inequities in pandemic recovery.
ISSN:1471-2458
1471-2458
DOI:10.1186/s12889-023-17392-y