Employment uncertainty between generations: analysis of trajectories in three cohorts of workers in Nuevo Leon

Abstract

• This paper analyzes generational changes in the objective and subjective conditions of employment security. According to the literature, at the end of the 20th century, uncertainty in this dimension increased, wich has affected younger generations by preventing them from accessing decent and quality jobs. We analyze employment inse- curity trajectories of three cohorts of workers in Nuevo León using the Encuesta sobre Inseguridad Laboral 2011. Clusters are constructed to identify the types of job insecurity experienced throughout the life course. Finally, a logistic regression is calculated to find out which social characteristics for each cohort have an influence on belonging to the cluster with the most insecure job trajectories. Thus, the hypothesis is tested: there has been an increase in objective and subjective employment insecurity and uncertainty for the younger generations. The results contribute to the debate on risk and uncertainty in the life course because, although objective conditions have deteriorated, the subjec- tive conditions have not worsened as we bserve younger cohorts.