Number of Job seekers increases by up to a third across the region under Coalition

date: 10^th April 2013

embargo: 00:01 Thursday 11 April

Number of Job seekers increases by up to a third across the region under Coalition

Northern region needs a Future that Works says Northern TUC

Analysis from the Northern TUC 10 Point Plan for A Northern Future that Works manifesto (being launched this weekend 13 and 14 April at Regional Conference) highlights, amongst other things, the stark reality of employment in the north east and Cumbria.

Despite claims of job creation and figures illustrating that employment has increased, under the Coalition government every Local Authority area in the region now has a minimum of 10% more jobseekers than before. County Durham and Darlington both have increases above 30% and Northumberland has been worst affected with a rise of 37% since June 2010. (full breakdown of figs by local authority below).

Almost 50,000 public sector jobs have been lost so far and the employment rate stands at a sickly 64%.There are, on average 7.5 jobseekers per job vacancy in the north east and 4 times as many jobseekers as vacancies in Cumbria, with as many as 8:1 in North Tyneside and 11:1 in Hartlepool. Not only are more people out of work, youth unemployment, especially long-term unemployment is also up and continuing to rise.

But as well as highlighting the serious challenges that face the region, the Northern TUC document also offers practical solutions and proactive ways that trade unions can help to address these issues in a meaningful way. This will be picked up at Conference via various motions and integrated into the Work Programme for the next two years, including campaigning for the following:

• Increased investment is crucial for both short-term economic recovery and long-term prosperity. Investment in new energy infrastructure, public transport (including local projects such as light rail schemes).
• The Government should be doing more to support green infrastructure (eg, electric cars)
• The Government, Local Enterprise partnerships and all bodies charged with preparing economic and industrial strategies should ensure that quality employment lies at the heart of all plans for growth.
• Working with a greater number of employers to ensure that training and skills development lies at the heart of economic recovery and growth in the northern region.

Kevin Rowan, Northern TUC Regional Secretary said: 'These figures show the ongoing failure of this Government's economic policy and the challenge for this region and all of us who want to see the north east and Cumbria grow and prosper. There is much work to be done and trade unions are up for the challenge, already playing a major role in securing the Hitachi development in Newton Aycliffe and working day in and day out in both workplaces and communities. Growing high quality jobs and sustainable work is top of our agenda, let's just hope the Coalition follows suit.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The number of jobseekers by local authority area is gathered monthly by Nomis Labour Market statistics using ONS claimant count data www.nomisweb.co.uk

Northern TUC measured the difference in monthly jobseekers by local authority area from June 2010-Feb 2013.

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Media contacts:

Kevin Rowan T: 0191 227 5565 M: 07766250074 E: krowan@tuc.org.uk

Neil Foster T: 0191 227 5554 M: 07787617972 E: nfoster@tuc.org.uk