Double shifts: Acadia University students' views on low -wage work and poverty

The goal of this study is to learn how Acadia University students who work low-wage jobs feel treated and how Acadia University students view low-wage work and poverty. Low-wage jobs fall under the term 'precarious employment', which is on the rise. Additionally, low-wage workers or workers employed in precarious employment are often living in poverty. While many low-wage workers are university students who have hopes of receiving an education and gaining a higher paying job, others working in low-wage jobs may have few options for gaining better employment and struggle to make ends meet. Regardless of why they are in low-wage work, low-wage workers may face negative treatment because they are not seen as contributing enough to society and not having done enough to personally improve their employment. A survey was designed using LimeSurvey and Acadia University students received a link through an all students email list. The findings from the research show that the majority of participants have been treated poorly in their low-wage jobs with women being more likely to witness heightened levels of mistreatment. Also, most participants view low-wage work as acceptable for younger people and older people, but not people in mid-adulthood. Furthermore, most respondents believe more should be done to help people living in poverty with women outnumbering those who strongly agree with this statement. Overall, this research shows Acadia University students' views on low-wage work, the treatment of low-wage workers, and poverty.