Unite reaction to latest unemployment figures

Wednesday, 13 July 2011 11:56 AM

Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey said:

"When you look behind the headline figures, record numbers of people are in insecure, part-time work and women's employment prospects have gone back 15 years to the dying days of the last Tory government.

"It's way off the mark to suggest our economy is improving. It remains stagnant and will continue to do so until the government starts investing for growth.

"The true extent of the public sector jobs cuts has yet to bite and the coalition has no strategy to support manufacturing.

"The government's disastrous decision to turn its back on Bombardier, the UK's last train maker, illustrates just how little the government is doing to actively support jobs. On the contrary, Vince Cable the business secretary stood by while the Department of Transport awarded a crucial train building contract for the UK rail network to a company that would manufacture the trains overseas."

Ends

Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931 315

Notes to editors

The number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance showed the biggest monthly rise for more than two years today despite a fall in unemployment.

a record number of people working part-time because they could not find a full-time job.

The number of women on JSA increased by 9,500 to 493,900, the highest figure since 1996.

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