THE proportion of Britain's working population now unemployed is 7.4 per cent. Since 1979 unemployment has increased fastest Wales and the West Midlands.
During the past 12 months the number of jobless has increased by 59 per cent in the West Midlands, compared with the national average of per cent. Employers, and commentators agree that manufacturing bearing the brunt of recession.
sections workforce most hit by redunimmigrants and wollen.
report covering unemployment in West Europe issued by the uro pean Trade Union Research Council at the beginning. September showed that women workers often did not appear unemployment figures. Where they did, they were proportionally much hit than their male counterparts:
LEMPLOY 197% 7-4% 110221782 in N.IRELAND 1533105.
NORTH WEST
1927(652 10-3% 71% 03 the the convincing for the 60 women who are about to be sacked at Allard's, near Hull. up their holidays to keep production going Transport Union Moss Evans calls for import controls in the gew booklet Contro IVOW. markets saturated with cheap foreign goods, thereföre British com have to set no profits and have workers 1602422 EAST AI 58240% UTI EAST 2.97K4% runs Courtaulds They 10,000 jobs months, 22,000 in the last 18 months.
But in the last financial year, leader Courtaulds maac protits compared with f64m TGWU in the orevious vear Imports Courtaulds are does not blame cheap imports for • the current closures. They admit they are caused by 'a brogramme. redundancies, plus increased September Led up profits.
The LOL COLCUl markets, will make allances trade unions in measures that markets ITOIS. example desire to save jobs Profit more profit. comes a poor second.
with management.
178 jobs established a for every capitalism's crisis its effects.
Strong has axed king a potal or total tonal stewards leading a £68.1m pay and no of workers management healthy organisation.
стор Both modernisation sibility production from those who are still at work, means jackemployers are inprotecting their sometimes they To with the order to get protect Inost like import conBut as the Courtaulds the employers are not driven by a - they are Labour driven by a thirst for profits. Socialist porters, mobilising Less workers doing the same amount of work means Saving jobs But there are examples of victories after fights to save jobs not achieved by increased exploitation or by alliances Socialist putting The first is the docks. The saved in Liverpool vital principle trade unionist work or full pay. The dockers responsible for and they TGWU refused to accept the brunt of UCATE In British Oxygen, the nacommittee is fight for the 35-hour week with no loss of cuts In number of jobs. Both groups have strong and 4l1el file the dockers British Oxygen workers start sibility for kie is too crisis. vital lessons for the jobs fight.
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D0z50 the past year
..with unemploy- ment soaring 41% in