There has been a huge increase in long-term youth unemployment since the year 2000, according to a new TUC analysis of official figures published today (Tuesday).
The TUC findings – published ahead of the latest unemployment figures due to be released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) tomorrow – show that in the last 12 years, the number of 18 to 24-year-olds who are out of work has risen by 78 per cent, while unemployment across all age groups has increased by 42 per cent.
Support for a financial transactions tax (FTT) – often called the Robin Hood Tax – to make banks and financial institutions pay something back to society has the support of almost two-thirds of voters (63 per cent) in 13 countries around the world, according to a new global poll published by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) today (Monday).
Responding to a white paper published by the government today (Thursday) setting out proposals to fundamentally reform the structure of banking in the UK, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
“Today the government has provided welcome recognition of the need to make UK banking far safer, and to ringfence retail banking operations from riskier investment banks.
Responding to the announcement by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith today (Thursday) that the government plans to change the way child poverty is measured – just as new figures show the target of halving the number of children in poverty by 2010 has been missed – TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
“Today's figures show that the last government's investments made a huge difference to reducing child and pensioner poverty.
Almost two-thirds (65 per cent) of voters believe that the introduction of local pay rates for public sector employees would make it harder for schools in low-pay areas to attract and retain good teachers, according to a new poll published today (Thursday) by the TUC.
Welcoming the beginning of a government consultation today (Tuesday) into a new anti-abuse rule which could help crack down on tax avoidance in the UK, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
Responding to the ministerial statement today (Tuesday) that the government is to extend the mandatory work activity scheme, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: “Forcing people without paid jobs to work for free won't tackle the UK's unemployment crisis.
The first international public opinion polling commissioned by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) – the Brussels-based global union representing 175 million union members across the world – shows deep uncertainty, fear and political disempowerment across half the G20 economies, six European countries and four emerging economies.
Commenting on reports of poor working conditions faced by unpaid stewards of the Diamond Jubilee, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
The situation faced by trade unionists across the world grew steadily worse in 2011, according to the annual survey of trade union rights violations published today (Wednesday) by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).