Today’s unemployment figures are bleak news for Scotland, and have ‘hidden’ impacts which make them even worse than they at first appear - according to Citizens Advice Scotland.
CAS spokesman Keith Dryburgh says,
“These figures show once again that too many Scots are suffering the pain and uncertainty that comes with unemployment. Young people in particular are really struggling, and in the CAB service we see many who are in debt and unable to get a home as a result. These are things that will affect them throughout the whole of their adult lives.
“Today’s figures also show that many people who are ‘in work’ are in fact trapped in part-time jobs that don’t meet their economic needs. Many others are struggling on low incomes. So the real human picture – seen by CAB advisers every day across the desk in their interview rooms - is even more bleak than the headline statistics suggest.
“Another hidden impact of these figures is the effect they have on those who are in work. We published a report last week* showing that many employers are cutting back on their workers’ rights, because they feel that in the current job market their employees will put up with any sort of treatment. It’s figures like these released today which lead to such cynical behaviour. Many workers are frightened to speak out bcause they feel they will lose their job.
“Being without a job affects not just your economic livelihood but also your state of mind, and your health – particularly if you get into debt or lose your home. Anyone who is struggling with these sorts of issues, or who feels they are being exploited at work, can get free, confidential help from their CAB. But governments must not under-estimate the scale of the crisis that families are going through. We need action to get people into decent jobs, and to offer real practical help for those who are struggling in the meantime.”
For interviews etc please contact Tony Hutson on 07774 751655.
The ‘Fair Employment’ report we published last week is at:
http://www.cas.org.uk/news/2012+news/February/Thousands+of+Scots+workers+being+exploited+by+rogue+employers
Notes to editors:
Main Points in CAS Analysis of today’s Unemployment figures
Unemployment is up; less people are in work:
- There are 20,000 less people in employment in Scotland since the last quarter
- Unemployment increased by 16,000 in the last quarter (up to 231,000)
- Those who are ‘economically inactive’ increased by 13,000 in the last quarter
- 20,000 people have been claiming JSA for more than 12 months
Workers are stuck in part-time work:
- The number of Full time workers decreased, but part-time and temporary workers increased.
- 113,000 people are in part-time work because they can’t find full-time work
Young people are still struggling:
- There are 83,000 unemployed16-24 year olds in Scotland
- 18.2% of 18-24 year olds are unemployed; 28.6% of 16-17 year olds are unemployed
