Unemployment figures - UNISON response

Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary, said:“This is the false calm before the storm. Next week the Chancellor will lay the groundwork for adding 750,000 public sector workers to the dole queues. The knock on effects to the private sector will be huge. PwC predicts nearly a million jobs could be lost, and economic output will plummet by £46 billion.“The Chancellor must return to the drawing board. His plans will wreak havoc with the recovery and drag the country back into recession. Millions will be condemned to long term unemployment, there will be no private sector jobs for those who have lost their public sector jobs, both sectors will meet each other in the dole queues.“Huge numbers of people unemployed will be a huge drain on the public purse. Less people working means less tax being paid. Local economies too will miss out on vital spending going through their tills.“The consequences for society will be huge. The cuts will be deeply regressive, hitting women, the elderly and lone parents hardest. Young people will suffer, and the threat of a lost generation looms large.“It is a disgrace that the Chancellor is ploughing ahead with his damaging plans when there are real alternatives. Clamping down on the tax dodgers, taking action on the tax havens, and getting the banks to pay their fair share towards the recovery by imposing a Robin Hood Tax would raise billions”.