date: 28 August 2008

embargo: 00.01hrs Friday 29 August 2008

Unions have key role in helping long-term unemployed back into work

Unions have a key role to play in helping the long-term unemployed back into work, new TUC guidance says today (Friday).

Local Employment Partnerships explains how union reps can work with employers and Jobcentre Plus (JCP) to help the long-term unemployed back into work through welfare schemes, such as 'work trials' and the 'jobs pledge'.

The guidance is published nearly a year after the Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced the 'jobs pledge' at Congress in September 2007 and asked trade unions to help achieve this target saying; 'Today I am proposing... that we work together to fast-track British workers into jobs we know exist.'

The 'jobs pledge' aims to find work for a quarter of a million people who face extra barriers to the labour market, such as lone parents and disabled people. The guidance encourages unions to help sign more companies up to the 'jobs pledge' and points out that many of the companies that have already signed up recognise unions.

Further TUC guidance Work Trials - a briefing for union reps explains how unions can encourage more people into 'work trials' - four to six week work experience placements, paid at the weekly dole rate, also designed for 'hard-to-reach' groups.

However, the guidance also warns that these 'hard-to-reach' groups can potentially be exploited by unscrupulous employers to undercut their rivals by using work trial temps as an alternative to fully paid staff. The TUC guidance warns these tactics will hurt honest employers, threaten existing workers' jobs and serve no benefit to those who desperately need to get back into work.

The TUC briefings aim to help union reps work with employers and jobcentre plus to get more people using Government welfare schemes to re-enter the workforce. But both warn of the risks to employers, the unemployed and existing staff if these schemes are abused.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'The long-term unemployed need all the help they can get in getting back to work, and work trials are a potentially vital way to help.

'But we cannot let a well intentioned initiative be undermined by unscrupulous employers who can use it to undercut their competitors by employing people on work trials at the tax payers cost. This can threaten people's jobs and serves no benefit to those who desperately need help to get back into work.

'Unions are on hand to prevent dodgy employers exploiting the system and will work with good employers, job centre plus and the Government to ensure that work trials are successful at helping people out of long term unemployment.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The TUC guidance on Local Employment Partnerships can be accessed at www.tuc.org.uk/extras/leps.pdf and the guidance on Work Trials can be accessed at www.tuc.org.uk/extras/worktrials.pdf from 00.01hrs Friday 29 August. Embargoed copies are available from the TUC press office.

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

- Register for the TUC's press extranet: a service exclusive to journalists wanting to access pre-embargo releases and reports from the TUC. Visit www.tuc.org.uk/pressextranet

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Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
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Elly Brenchley T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: ebrenchley@tuc.org.uk

Press release (700 words) issued 29 Aug 2008