34,000 may be jobless’

Press, 29 August 1977, Page 1

34,000 may be jobless’

’A Auckland Ip to 34.000 New Zealanders could actually be out of work, according to the president of the I ederation of Labour (Sir Thomas Skinner). “I think it could be as high as that figure — about a per cent of the work force," he said. (The latest Labour Department figures show that registered unetnploved increased from 6590 on July 25 to 7092 on August 19, and the total on specialwork schemes rose from 7628 to 7815). "The figures released bv the Government do not take into consideration part-time workers who have lost their jobs, those who do not register as unemployed. or those working wives who are out of work,” said Sir Thomas. "Overseas, all these things are taken into consideration." The Minister of Labour (Mr Gordon) expects the number of registered unemployed to peak by early September, because of workers being laid off from seasonal industries. Mr Gordon said that lay-offs from the vegetable and meat-freezing industries would be the main cause of an expected peak in unemployment figures in September. Commenting on the increased unemployed, Mr Gordon said he was “not happy” with the figures, but by world standards they were still low.