Jobless highest for a decade

THE number of people out of work in Oldham is at its highest for more than a decade.

There are 7,692 unemployed people in the borough, the previous highest in this millennium being 7,603 in February last year.

Figures were in excess of 7,000 for four successive months from July, 2009, and have been rising steadily since the end of 2008.

There are 5,179 men looking for work, a rise of 56, and 2,513 women, up by 41.

The total represents 5.6 per cent of Oldham’s working population, comparing unfavourably with the regional percentage (4.40 and national average of 3.9).

The Government is concerned by the number of young people (aged 18-24) looking for work. Figures for Oldham covering this age group are not available, but nationally 867,000 people have been unemployed for more than a year, the highest for 15 years.

Nick Pearce, director of the Institute for Public Policy Research, said: “Today’s figures show that young people and women are being hit hardest by Britain’s jobs crisis, with the highest numbers out of work for a generation.

“Being out of work for more than a year can have a scarring affect, making it harder to get a job as well as having a negative impact on one’s health.”




Oldham has suffered the seventh highest loss of council jobs in the North-West, according to new figures. The Local Government Association (LGA) figures show that 1,053 council jobs have been cut in Oldham since the general election in May last year.



Manchester City Council has axed the most jobs out of 41 North-West local authorities in the poll. Nationally the number of posts lost is 101,000.

Oldham figures show a reduction from 7,920 full-time equivalent members of staff in the first quarter of 2010, to 6,867 in the second quarter of 2011 — a 13 per cent cut.

Rochdale has cut 1,523 jobs and Tameside 1,163 jobs. Paul McCarthy, GMB union regional secretary, said: “Council workers and their families are paying a terrible price for the Government’s austerity drive. These job losses are on top of two years of pay freezes and cuts to conditions and pensions.

“Care workers, refuse collectors, street cleaners, social workers and all the essential frontline council staff are bearing the brunt while those at the top wring their hands and look on.”