60,000 more job seekers than jobs shows need for urgent action

Labour must wake up to drastic job situation says Plaid

Labour needs to wake up to the drastic situation facing people looking for work in Wales.　 That was the message today from Plaid Cymru’s economy spokesperson Alun Ffred Jones AM.　 The Plaid Cymru AM for Arfon pointed to official figures which show that there are over 60 thousand more people looking for jobs, than there are jobs available.　 Mr Jones said that he hopes that these　 shocking figures will make Labour realise just how serious the situation is for people living with the reality of the current economic situation.　

The figures, published by the Office for National Statistics, show that there are 76,210 people in Wales looking for work with only 16,094 live unfilled vacancies being advertised in job centres.　 The situation is particularly bad in the Blaenau Gwent local authority where the figures show 17 people chasing every job vacancy.　

Plaid Cymru’s Economy spokesperson Alun Ffred Jones AM said;

"I hope that these shocking figures will act as a wake up call to this lethargic Labour government.　 The situation for people on the ground looking for work is drastic, with sixty thousand more people looking for work than there are jobs being advertised.　 The fact that so many people are being forced to chase the same jobs is a stark illustration of the reality of the deepening economic crisis.　　

"Labour has wasted the best part of a year sitting on its hands, these figures clearly show that this cannot be allowed to continue.　 Plaid Cymru will maintain the pressure on Labour to take action to boost the economy. Labour needs to sit up and take action to kick start the economy for 2012.　 We will continue to press the Labour government to adopt our positive proposals to protect jobs and help small businesses, as well as taking forward our ‘Build for Wales’ plan which could create up to 50,000 jobs, providing a much-needed economic boost in 2012."