Council of Trade Unions media release
9 November 2010
Too many unemployed
The CTU said today that a small drop in the numbers on unemployment benefit is welcome. The drop of 483 people to reach
64,798 on unemployment benefit is however a tiny step towards an economic recovery.
Peter Conway, CTU Secretary, said: “In May 2008, there were 17,246 people on unemployment benefit. We want to hear the
Government’s plans to get the country back to that number of people on unemployment benefit.”
“So we need a realistic plan for a 48,000 drop in those on unemployment benefit – not a ‘good news story’ about a 480
drop.”
“When the official number of unemployed was 90,000 in 2008, this resulted in a relatively small number on a benefit as
many people were only briefly unemployed. But now we have 150,000 unemployed with nearly half that number on an
unemployment benefit. This shows real distress in the labour market.”
“Prolonged unemployment causes huge damage to those affected, including their families and communities. We are not even
sure if there is an economic recovery. If there is a recovery, we are not sure if it will be, in effect, a jobless
recovery. And if more jobs do emerge, what about those left behind as the labour market picks up?”
ENDS