Almost Two-thirds of a Million Workers Still Unemployed

The scan: The Week v9 no9.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive, opens at this page)

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Unemployment through ut Great Brit. ‘n and Northern Ireland totalled 657 832 on February 12th. This figure which represents a drop #6f 13 125 on the January figures, is being hailed by many newspapers and Labour Government officials as a sign of 'brighter prospects', It is important to emphasise that there are 13 495 more people out of work now, compared with the same month in 1967, the percentage jobless is still 2.6. Examples from two cities illustrate the peint: Birmingham: Nearly 13 000 men are out of work in Birmingham, the highest figures since the Ministry of Labour began keeping records in 1945. The Ministry's figures for February show an increas of 317 in the number of men wholly unemployed to 12 955, higher than the previous peaks in the harsh winters of 1947 and 1963. Ministry officials also expect the upward trend in unemployment to be checked by the spring, although the jebless level is likely to remain abuve average, A fall in the number of workers en short time working counteracted the rise in the wholly wnempleyed in Birmingham and the city's unemployment percentage figures remain at 2.9 per cent. One union comment on the figure came from the general se¢retary of the National Society of Metal Mechanics, Frank Briggs, who commented: ‘It is getting to be a worrying situation and we deplore the general situation in the Midlands,’ He said he would be having consultations with other unions about the situation and they might have to leck very closely at overtime working. If the men were to work normally it would mean extra work and more employment, he said. The car industry is a seasonable one, however, and there is 'a glimmer of hepe' that figures for that section should improve. David Perris, secretary of Birmingham Trades Council and of the Midland regional advisory committee of the TUC said: 'These are very distressing figures. They will lend impetus to the compaign which the trades council is about to launch against the Government measures which have resuited in this level of unemployment.’ He said that the executive of the trades council would shortly be considering the lobbying of MPs and other forms of protest against the situation. Hull: Unemployment in the Hull area is now 3.8 per cent. The Hull figures which include Hessle and Beverley shew that a total of 5 2h2 people were unemployed in February 1967. The unemployment tetal for February 1968 is 6 787, which is also an increase of 417 on January 1968. There are ten unemployed men for every vacancy (low paid jobs). The overwhelming majority of the unemployed are men. The Hull Unemployed Workers Committe is keeping up its fight against any complacency on unemployment. There is to be an emergency meeting of the Hull and district Trades Council this Thursday on unemployment to plan some action. :