Improvement in employment rate welcome, but economic insecurity and fragility still prevail in the north east, says Northern TUC

date: 14 November 2012

embargo: for immediate release

Improvement in employment rate welcome, but economic insecurity and fragility still prevail in the north east, says Northern TUC

Commenting on today's ONS figures Kevin Rowan, Northern TUC Regional Secretary said:

'The modest headline improvement in the labour market picture in the region is welcome but we remain concerned by the fact that the north east still has a woefully low employment rate and one in three workers are either economically inactive or unemployed. Of those that are in work we continue to struggle with under-employment, the majority of jobs that have been created are a mixture of part-time and temporary work. The prevailing condition of the north east economy is very low, if any, growth and insecurity and fragility in employment.

'We know less than one third of the government's cuts agenda has been carried out, further austerity will only dampen prospects of recovery. All of the evidence would suggest that there needs to be much more emphasis on growth and job creation.'

Figures for the region show:

• The unemployment rate is down 0.9% on the quarter to 9.9% (down 1.4% on the year).

• The employment rate is now at 67.9%, up 1.2% on the quarter and 2.6% on the year.

• Economic activity is down 0.5% on the quarter to 25.4%, down 1.8% on the year.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- Northern TUC press releases www.tuc.org.uk/northern national releases www.tuc.org.uk and www.twitter.com/tucnews

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

- For TUC advice and information on the world of work www.workSMART.org.uk

Media contacts:

Kevin Rowan, Regional Secretary T: 0191 232 3175 M: 07766250074 E: krowan@tuc.org.uk

Neil Foster, Policy and Campaigns Officer, Northern TUC T: 0191 227 5554;

E: nfoster@tuc.org.uk