precariato

Precariato is a term used in sociology, economics, and political discourse to describe a form of labor vulnerability in which workers face unstable employment, low wages, and weak social protections. It denotes a set of non-standard employment relations—such as temporary, seasonal, part-time, freelance, or subcontracted work—that undermines regular career progression and income security. While not limited to a single country, the concept has been especially prominent in Italian public debate as a label for a broader trend in European labor markets.

Typical features include contract temporariness, wage volatility, irregular or demanding hours, limited access to unemployment insurance, pensions, or paid leave, and weak bargaining power relative to employers. The affected groups often include young workers, women, migrants, and those entering the labor market after periods of schooling or long unemployment, though precarity can affect workers in various sectors.

Causes cited include labor market flexibilization, outsourcing, the growth of agency and platform work, globalization, and macroeconomic shocks that reduce the availability of permanent jobs. Structural reforms, regulatory loopholes, and changes in social protection systems also contribute to precarity by fragmenting employment relations and reducing collective protections.

Consequences span economic insecurity and limited life planning, with impacts on housing, fertility, education, and mental health. The phenomenon is associated with increased worker turnover, reduced investment in skills, and together with other forms of social insecurity, a contribution to broader social inequality and mobility constraints.

Policy responses typically involve strengthening social protection for non-standard workers, extending unemployment and pension rights, and promoting active labor market policies, training, and transitions to permanent contracts where feasible. Debates around universal coverage, portable benefits, and universal basic income feature in discussions about reducing precarity. The term is used beyond Italy to describe similar dynamics in many advanced economies and in global gig work. See also precarious work, gig economy, labor market reform debates.