Government must act to fix massive unemployment problem

By sitting on the sidelines the Government has contributed to the huge rise in unemployment levels says the National Distribution Union (NDU) which is calling for action to help get New Zealanders back into work.

The criticism comes in response to the Household Labour Force Survey released today showing a massive rise in unemployment to 7.3%, the highest level of joblessness in a decade and higher than predicted.

“The huge rise in unemployment shows the government’s “do nothing” policy has failed. It is time for John Key to roll up his sleeves and get active to get people back into work,” said NDU General Secretary Robert Reid.

“The hiss and the roar that we saw from the government this time last year with the Job Summit has evaporated and we've really seen nothing much happening since then. It is cruel for the government to allow so many people to be out of a job and to be doing so little to get them back into work,” said Reid.

“We are calling on the government to do a stock take of the Jobs Summit and in light of today’s massive rise in unemployment recommit to that spirit of active engagement to bring unemployment down,” said Reid.

“The government can create jobs. New policies to get the dollar under control would help to keep jobs in the export sector and fiscal stimulus for low paid workers through a bigger increase to the minimum wage are just two things the government could be doing to get people back into work,” said Reid.

“Job creation schemes also need to be considered. Unions and political parties have put up a range of suggestions for work programmes that would create jobs that can also address social and environmental issues such as building more public transport infrastructure, more local procurement and planting trees,” said Reid.

“This level of unemployment is a huge economic and social issue and it is essential the government gets off the sideline and become involved in getting New Zealanders back into jobs,” said Reid.

ENDS

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