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date: 16 November 2011

embargo: For immediate release

Youth joblessness milestone is the true mark of government economic strategy

Commenting on the latest unemployment figures published today (Wednesday) by the Office for National Statistics, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

'Today's milestone of more than a million young people being out of work is the true mark of the government's economic strategy.

'Government plans to offer cut-price work experience are a woefully inadequate response. The Prime Minister must stop the risk of losing a generation to unemployment and under achievement by guaranteeing a job or high quality training to every young person out of work for six months.

'But the UK's jobs crisis is not confined to youngsters. Overall unemployment is now rising at a rate not seen since the worst days of the recession. And wage rises are falling at a faster rate than inflation.

'Rather than using the Eurozone as an excuse for our mounting economic troubles, the government should be using it to change course. The 2.6 million people out of work is the clearest sign yet that self-defeating austerity is not working.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Top 10 employment blackspots, October 2011

Source: nomisweb

- A full list of the claimant to vacancy ratio in every local authority in Britain is available from the TUC press office.

- The latest labour market statistics are available here www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lms/labour-market-statistics/november-2011/statistical-bulletin.html

- Further TUC analysis of the labour market statistics is available at www.touchstoneblog.org.uk

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
Elly Gibson T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: egibson@tuc.org.uk

Press release (400 words) issued 16 Nov 2011