North East remains home to falling wages and England's worst unemployment

date: 12 September 2012

embargo: for immediate release

North East remains home to falling wages and England's worst unemployment

The publication of the latest employment figures shows the North East jobs market remains the worst in the country. The region is also home to two of England's top five unemployment blackspots with Hartlepool ranked 2^nd with 16 jobseekers per job vacancy and Middlesbrough 4^th with 13 jobseekers per vacancy. However, the statistics reveal that people in the former Wansbeck District of Northumberland face an even worse jobs market with 26 jobseekers for every vacancy.

The Northern TUC is also concerned with figures showing a continued decline in average wages for full-time workers in the North East of England. According to the ONS the average full time employee in the North East is now paid £6 less per week than 12 months ago. For male full-time time workers the decline in wages has been starker with full-time pay now £20 per week less than a year ago.

Kevin Rowan, Regional of Secretary of the Northern TUC said:

'The North East is still one of the hardest places to find work in the country. Of the few jobs being created many are low-paid, low-skilled and insecure. This is not a recipe for a sustained recovery. The drop in wages is another serious squeeze on working people at a time when many can't afford it. The government's approach is risking long-term harm to our region by reinforcing the North East as a low pay economy when we have so much more to offer. We need a wage-led recovery that boosts spending power and living standards not reverses them.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

For full and detailed figures go to: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lms/labour-market-statistics/september-2012/table-earn05.xls

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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