Focus on unemployment

Press, 23 August 1983, Page 6

Focus on unemployment

PA Wellington Federated Farmers has established a special task force committee to examine the whole issue of unemployment, including various means of creating employment opportunities, particularly in the rural sector, says its president, Mr Rob Storey.

“Unemployment is correctly seen now as New Zealand’s number one social problem at present,” he said.

“It will be disastrous for New Zealand if we develop a whole generation of young people, many of whom have never had permanent work

and also if older people with heavy financial commitments are not able to continue with full time productive employment.”

The committee would be looking particularly at the ability of worker co-opera-tives, or worker teams who undertook casual work from a central base.

“While retraining must be an important element in any over-all employment strategy, of equal importance is the need to explore ways of introducing greater flexibility into the organisation and location of work activities,” said Mr Storey.