The job market faces its most “ serious crisis since World War II ” with the coronavirus pandemic, 1.25 billion workers at risk of dismissal or cut in wages, estimates the International Labor Organization (ILO) ).
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According to a new study published Tuesday, this UN agency estimates that the pandemic of the new coronavirus should make disappear 6.7% of the working hours in the world only during the second quarter of 2020, that is to say 195 million full-time equivalents (for a 48-hour work week).
These heavy losses in terms of jobs are expected, especially in upper middle-income countries (100 million full-time equivalents affected), a situation that goes “ far beyond the effects of the 2008-09 financial crisis ”. The Arab countries and Europe should be strongly affected, in terms of their population, but in absolute numbers, it is the Asia-Pacific region which should suffer the most, at this time of the year.
Many countries have called on people to stay at home to reduce the risk of the spread of the virus, which has killed more than 75,500 people worldwide and for which there is no treatment or vaccine.
In the global workforce of 3.3 billion people, more than four in five (81%) are currently affected by the total or partial closure of workplaces, according to the ILO. As a result, 1.25 billion workers are currently employed in sectors identified as running a high risk of a “ drastic and devastating ” rise in layoffs and a reduction in wages and hours worked.
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The final rise in global unemployment for the year 2020 will depend largely on the measures adopted, warns the ILO, which considers it very likely that the impact of the pandemic on unemployment in the world will be significantly higher than the initial projection, published. on March 18, which was 25 million jobs lost.
