02.03.12
71% of public sector posts lost were from local government
Local government jobs account for the largest drop in public sector employment, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics. The largest falls were in the South West, the West Midlands and the North East.
Over the last year, the public sector lost 269,000 jobs – a fall of 4.4%. The amount of posts lost by local government fell by 6.7%, or 195,000 jobs. Local government makes up 45% of all public sector employment, yet its share of the total drop was 71%.
Local government employment is highest in theNorth Westat 323,000, followed by the South East at 321,000 andLondonat 307,000. The biggest falls in council jobs in the year ending September 2011 were in the South West, theNorth West, East of England and theWest Midlands.
Regionally the falls in public sector employment were greatest in the South West at 7%, followed by the East of England at 5.4%, the West Midlands and the North East both at 5.2%, theNorth Westat 4.8%, the South East at 4.2%, the East Midlands at 4.1%,Yorkshire and the Humber at 3.6%, andLondonat 3.4%.
Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, said: “The coalition’s economic strategy is a reckless gamble – a gamble that clearly is not paying off. In every region of theUK, public sector job cuts have seriously outweighed the struggling private sector’s ability to create work.
“Drastic public sector cuts are hitting jobs hard, and the toll of losses is set to climb higher this year. Every single job lost is a personal tragedy, and a direct hit on the local economy. No wonder the private sector cannot come to the rescue, there is no demand to drive growth and fuel our recovery.
“Behind these figures are real stories of people struggling to find work and keep their families out of poverty. The Government has to act. It’s time for a plan B to fuel growth and recovery, ease the burden on hardworking families, and avoid a damaging double-dip recession.”
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