Thursday, September 27, 2012

Worrying loss of work opportunities

Vanguard October 2012 p. 2
Jim H.

In July the official rate of unemployment stood at 5.2%. Many with expertise in this field point out that the real number out of work is twice that number.

Even so, too many Australians can’t get work. Over the quarter, 27,000 jobs were shed. At the same time, fewer people were reported as looking for work. Some of this can be explained by the more vigorous measures taken by Centrelink to cut people off. It also indicates that more Australians are dependent on being supported by others lucky enough to be working.

It hits younger people the hardest. They find that they have to stay under the care of their parents for longer. Women are also badly done by and relegated to the kitchen more easily than has been the case for many years.

The pattern has continued since July. The most recent data shows that the number of people actually working is declining, falling by 8,800 in August. Many of the lost jobs were casual and part time. These losses are relatively modest at present, but their significance is that they go hand in hand with the deepening of the systemic economic crisis. As this deepens further, more jobs stand to go. The current round of job losses has been concentrated in manufacturing, retail and construction.

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