STUC on labour market statistics

December 16th 2015

STUC on labour market statistics

December 16th 2015

Commenting on publication of the latest official labour market statistics for Scotland, Grahame Smith, Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) General Secretary said:

“This is the most positive set of statistics for some months; the trend of rising unemployment witnessed through the spring and summer is reversing and employment is starting to nudge up again. It is important to stress however that unemployment has only fallen to where it was this time last year and remains significantly higher than pre-recession levels. Employment has yet to recover its pre-recession rate.

“The headwinds facing the Scottish economy are apparent in other statistics published by ONS today showing that, although Scotland has been relatively successful in sustaining public sector jobs over the past year, private sector job creation has been weak. This no doubt reflects the ongoing impact of the falling oil price on the north-east, and increasingly the national, economies”.

ENDS

Contact Stephen Boyd 0141 337 8100