Bosses blast union jobless, productivity data

Bosses blast union jobless data

The Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEV) have released new data based on Ministry of Labour statistics showing that unemployment figures show a steady drop to below the 2001 levels.

According to the statistics department of the Ministry’s social insurance services, the jobless figures stood at 10,799 in 2004, a drop from the previous year’s figure of 11,192. In 2002 unemployment stood at 10,063 and 11,154 in 2001.

OEV countered the trades union claims that “unemployment was rising rapidly” saying that the unions wanted to manipulate the labour data in order to justify their campaign against foreign workers.

The employers also said that the rate of real joblessness after the six-month period when the unemployed stop getting a monthly benefit, drops to 0,8% of the labour market.

The left-wing trade union PEO announced earlier this week that productivity is seen rising to 3,5% for 2004 and further to 4,0% in 2005, double the figure reported by employers organizations.

Sources at OEV said that this too was a manipulation of figures and its sole purpose was to bargain for greater pay increases than the economy can afford, as many sectorial labour collective agreements are under negotiation for renewal, focusing primarily on wage increases.