Today’s unemployment figures show that long-term unemployment has reached a 17-year high, with a further increase in the West Midlands regional statistics.
Commenting on the figures, UNISON West Midlands regional secretary Ravi Subramanian said: “There may be a very small relief in unemployment figures nationally, but that does not reflect the tidal flow of increased unemployment in the West Midlands, where we are fast approaching the levels of the unemployment blackspot, the North East.
“In the West Midlands, another 15,000 people’s jobs have been washed away, adding to the misery of those marooned in long-term unemployment,” he added.
“We have a massive 268,000 people, many with families, who are now in the desperate situation of being out of work and having no alternative but to rely on benefits.
“Every job lost is a personal tragedy, as well as a regional economic one. The government has to do much more to tackle this persistent jobs crisis – starting with stopping the slew of job losses from the public sector.”
