date: 13 August 2008

embargo: for immediate release

Government and Bank must act to stem rising unemployment, says TUC

Commenting on the latest employment figures released today (Wednesday) by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), TUC Head of Economic and Social Affairs Adam Lent said: 'With the unemployment rate, claimant count and level of redundancies all rising, workers will expect the Government and the Bank to take decisive action to stop unemployment growing further still. If they fail to do so unemployment will rise significantly in 2009 and inactivity will carry a high economic and social price.

'Unions are looking for action to boost demand; we urge the Bank to cut interest rates and the Government to take the cap off public sector wage increases.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The latest employment figures are available from the ONS website at www.statistics.gov.uk

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Press release (300 words) issued 13 Aug 2008