Government Has "Cone Of Silence" Over Unemployment Rise

The Maritime Union of New Zealand says rising unemployment is hurting working class New Zealanders, yet a "cone of silence" seems to have descended over the Government about thousands of New Zealander's being thrown onto the dole.

The unemployment rate has risen sharply to 7.3% in the December 2009 quarter with 168,000 New Zealanders out of a job – the highest unemployment in ten years.

Nearly one in five young people in the 15-24 year old bracket are unemployed, as well as high rates of unemployment in Maori and Pacific communities.

Maritime Union General Secretary Joe Fleetwood says the unemployment figures indicate other problems for workers such as casual workers and part time workers who are getting less hours.

"Those casual workers don't even seem to count, they can be working all sorts of irregular hours but they are off the radar."

Mr Fleetwood challenged the Prime Minister to get out and about and talk to the unemployed and casual workers.

"National Government's and unemployment seem to go hand in hand. There does not appear to be any attempt to deal with unemployment or even acknowledge there's a problem. Where are the media reports on what is going on down on the ground in working class communities?"

"We now have the ultimate stupidity where there is talk of a jobless recovery, that must be the type of recovery you have when you don't have a recovery."

"Unemployment is the number one hit on working class people. It's impossible to make ends meet on the minimum wage in New Zealand, let alone the unemployment benefit."

Mr Fleetwood says that there was little motivation to deal with unemployment, because many employers were happy to have higher unemployment in order to force down wages and conditions.

"What we have is a Government that thinks the best use for shipping containers is for jail cells, while young New Zealanders can't get work in their own maritime industry."

He says that the rebuilding of New Zealand's coastal shipping could create high skilled jobs with good wages and a career path for young New Zealand workers.

ENDS

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