Happy new year! Unemployment set to soar in 2010

Unemployment will continue to rise at least until the summer of 2010, peaking at 2.8 million, a leading business group has predicted.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development warned of a “sting” in the tail of the recession, with a winter rise in job losses as firms assess prospects for the economy in the coming year.

Employers are set to decide to raise productivity and reduce labour costs, leading to “tough times” ahead for British workplaces, the group said.

The report estimated that the number of people in work will fall by 250,000 between the third quarter of this year and the second three months of 2010.

The 2.8 million unemployment prediction is much lower than an earlier forecast by the institute of 3.2m, with the report claiming that the coming year will be better for jobs than 2009.

The institute’s chief economic adviser Dr John Philpott forecasted a continued squeeze on pay rises next year.

He said: “This could be difficult to deliver following a recession during which many private sector employees have experienced pay freezes or pay cuts.”

Taken from Morning Star

Defending the Welfare State and Public Services

March and Rally 10 April 2010

The pensioner, trade union and other welfare movements are planning a major demonstration in central London next April, in defence of the welfare state and public services.

The National Pensioners Convention is leading the event and the TUC is giving its full support, along with ASLEF, BECTU, CWU, FBU, GMB, NUJ, NUT, PCS, POA, RMT, TSSA, UCATT, UCU, UNISON, UNITE and USDAW. In addition the BMA, RADAR and the Carers Poverty Alliance are also taking part.

In the New Year we will have a special website advertising the event at www.10410demo.com along with a flyer (attached) which you can order for distribution and a petition.

This will be a major event either just before or just after the general election. Either way it will put down a marker to the next government that the welfare state and public services are important to all of us and must not become a casualty of the economic crisis. Every effort must therefore be used to maximise attendance.