Growing Youth Employment Problems: Hofstra Conference Debates New Findings, Sept. 15-16

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. Sept. 12 -- The rate of young people with jobs in the United States has fallen to its lowest level since 1948, when the government first started counting. With health insurance and college costs rising, and real family income shrinking, young Americans are forced to question the old promise of upward class mobility. What are the forces behind their worsening economic status? What are the most promising strategies to improve their future employment prospects?

New research findings on these and other crucial questions will be presented on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 15 and 16, at Hofstra University at Youth Employment In The Global Economy, an international conference of scholars and activists, that will be held at Hofstra University. The Center for the Study of Labor & Democracy and the conference organizer, will welcome noted economists, sociologists, educators, and representatives from government, business, labor, and youth organizations. Liza Featherstone (The Nation), Carl Lipscombe (U.S. Student Association), Joe Hansen (president, UFCW), Rafael Gomez (London School of Economics), David Blanchflower (Dartmouth), and Stuart Tannock (UC Berkeley) are among the speakers from countries including Argentina, Canada, Denmark, England, France, India, Italy, Korea, and Japan, as well as the U.S.

The participants will be discussing such pressing topics as: inter-country differences in youth unemployment, pay stagnation and work scheduling problems; shrinking access to affordable higher education, training, and job placement; occupational hazards and health insurance coverage; racial, ethnic, gender and class employment differentials and discrimination; immigration’s impacts on the youth labor force; adult/youth job competition; youth involvement with unions and other worker advocacy organizations; relevant government employment and pay policies; and strategies to improve both the quantity and quality of youth job opportunities in the U.S. and other advanced economies.

For the complete conference schedule of speakers and sessions, registration fees and directions, visit http://www.hofstra.edu/culture or call 516-463-5669.

Contact Information

Ginny Greenberg

Media Contact

Hofstra University

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