Dudley Youth Unemployment Summit takes place today

Today, the TUC and Dudley Students Union will hold The Black Country Youth Unemployment Summit in Dudley College’s newly built Evolve Theatre.  The Summit will bring together local MPs – including Ian Austin (Dudley North), Pat McFadden (Wolverhampton South West) and John Spellar (Warley) - councillors, trade unionists, students and unemployed young people to share their experiences and debate the TUC’s Charter for a Future that Works.  The Charter calls for positive actions to tackle the youth unemployment crisis in the Black Country which has one of the highest rates of unemployment in the country.  The Charter states there is a need for:

• ·         Job Guarantees for young people unemployed for 6 months or more                                                                  
• ·         Quality Apprenticeships
• ·         Quality Work Experience 
• ·         Welfare reform to support young people to study to get back to work
• ·         Financial support for costs such as transport

The Summit will provide a high profile platform for young people to tell decision makers how the Government’s austerity policies have damaged their opportunities to find work and gain skills.  The Summit is being organised by the TUC in partnership with Dudley Students Union and local young unemployed campaigners who recently led the TUC’s Future that Works demonstration in London on October 20^th. 

Kelly Russell, President of Dudley Students Union states:

‘Dudley Students Union are proud supporters of the TUC’s Charter for a Future that Works and chose to host the Summit because youth unemployment is a major concern of Dudley students.

‘Every day I hear students’ fears for the future. During my time in office I have witnessed unprecedented and continuous attacks on students from the removal of Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) to the rise in tuition fees and threats to the Care to Learn budget.

‘Dudley students want EMA restored, the creation of many more apprenticeships and quality work experience with guaranteed pay for interns. We hope that the Summit debate will be the start of a strong message to Government from the Black Country that young people and their future matter to all of us and the government needs to act now.’

TUC Local Organiser Rosa Crawford, who is co-organising the Summit, comments:

‘The fact that local young people have played a central part in the practical and creative development of The Black Country Youth Unemployment Summit shows politicians that young people are skilled and highly motivated to work.  That is why it is so sad and wasteful that there are so few jobs for these young people in the Black Country today.  This is a clear result of the millions of pounds of cuts to the public sector and careers services cuts, trebled costs of University tuition and abolition of EMA.  Instead of austerity and cuts, we are calling for the Government to invest in jobs and skills for young people so they can contribute to society.’

Further information:

- The Summit will take place at The Evolve Theatre, Tower Street, Dudley, DY1 1AF between 2 –  4pm on November 30^th

Black Country Consortium CEO joins MPs in Youth Unemployment Summit Lineup

We are pleased to announce CEO of the Black Country Consortium SARAH MIDDLETON (pictured below) will be joining MPs Ian Austin (Dudley North, pictured below), Pat McFadden (Wolverhampton South East), John Spellar (Warley) and as Regional Secretaries from Unison, CWU and PCS among others at our Black Country Youth Unemployment Summit being held this Friday Nov 30th in Dudley.

 

Cick here for your free ticket to the Summit which offers a unique chance to  your experiences and ideas to take action on youth unemployment with such a number of important decision makers in the Black Country.

Midlands TUC Awards night

The first view of the photographs of our Awards night last Friday are now available - see below. We shall work on them  - and get names to faces!

The Awards night was sponsored by Simpson Millar LLP, solicitors to the CWU, Matthew Jones Photograhy, and Pellacraft who supplied the awards themselves. Thanks to you all for your support in helping make the event go so well.

The East Midlands has one of the highest under-employment rates in the country, new figures show.

Nationally, the number of people classed as under-employed, including part-timers wanting a full-time job, has increased by a million since the start of the economic downturn in 2008.

A total of 3.05 million workers were under-employed, with almost two-thirds in part-time jobs, said the Office for National Statistics.

The number of under-employed workers was fairly stable in the run-up to the recession in 2008 but has since leapt by almost half, the figures showed.

Occupations with the highest number of under-employed workers included cleaners, caterers and labourers.

The highest under-employment rates were in the East Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber, the North East and the South West, where more than 10% of workers wanted to work more hours.

The biggest increase in under-employment in recent years has been in Yorkshire and the Humber.

Regions with high under-employment rates had above-average numbers of part-time and young workers, as well as more low-skilled employees. The average under-employed worker earned GBP7.49 an hour, more than GBP3 less than someone who was not under-employed, said the ONS.

Dr John Philpott, director of The Jobs Economist, said: "The extent of underemployment identified in these official figures highlights the degree to which the headline unemployment count understates the current shortage of work in the UK economy.

"While some work is obviously better than none, approaching one in five economically active people are struggling in today's 'no or not enough work' economy. Add in the effect of falling real take home pay for the vast majority of people in work and it becomes clear how much distress is being suffered in the jobs market."

Reprinted from the original release issued by The Press Association

http://mediapoint.press.net/article.jsp?id=8784179

Underemployment crisis shows fragility of UK jobs market, says TUC

Commenting on new official figures published today (Wednesday) which show that over three million people are under-employed across the UK, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber (pictured, above) said:

 "Around two and half million across the UK are currently out of work. But this figure only tells half the story.

 "Taking any job available, even if it meant lower pay and fewer hours, was a pragmatic response to the recession. The fact that the number of under-employed people continues to grow shows just how weak our recovery is, and how fragile the labour market remains.

 "Being under-employed carries a huge pay penalty that puts a real strain on people's finances.

 "Long periods of under-employment can cause longer-term career damage, which is particularly worrying for the one in five young people currently trapped in it.

 "We desperately need proper investment in high quality jobs so that full-time work is available for those who want it. This is the only way to secure a sustainable economic recovery."

Pension charges code is 'a big step forward', says TUC

The TUC has welcomed the new code of conduct on communicating information about charges in defined contribution (DC) schemes to employers, published today (Wednesday) by the pensions industry.

 As part of automatic enrolment many employers are required to set up a workplace pension scheme for the first time. Under the new code, providers and advisers will be required to tell companies how their staff will be affected by charges taken out of individual pension pots.

 TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: "The code is a big step forward. Employers need help in choosing the best auto-enrolment pension, and their staff need to know they have made a good choice too.

 "This new code brings greater transparency to charges. This is vital as even small variations can make a big difference to the pensions people receive.

 "It's good to see consumers, unions, employers and the pensions industry working together on this code. This co-operation must continue to ensure compliance with the code.

 "And whilst the charges code will be of great help we still need to develop more ways to ensure that both employers and employees get the best possible return from each pound saved."

Black Country Youth Unemployment Summit to be held by TUC/Dudley Students Union

On November 30^th the TUC and Dudley Students Union will hold The Black Country Youth Unemployment Summit in Dudley College’s newly built Evolve Theatre.  The Summit will bring together local MPs – including Ian Austin (Dudley North), Pat McFadden (Wolverhampton South West) and John Spellar (Warley) - councillors, trade unionists, students and unemployed young people to share their experiences and debate the TUC’s Charter for a Future that Works.  The Charter calls for positive actions to tackle the youth unemployment crisis in the Black Country which has one of the highest rates of unemployment in the country.  The Charter states there is a need for:

• ·         Job Guarantees for young people unemployed for 6 months or more                                                                  
• ·         Quality Apprenticeships
• ·         Quality Work Experience 
• ·         Welfare reform to support young people to study to get back to work
• ·         Financial support for costs such as transport

The Summit will provide a high profile platform for young people to tell decision makers how the Government’s austerity policies have damaged their opportunities to find work and gain skills.  The Summit is being organised by the TUC in partnership with Dudley Students Union and local young unemployed campaigners who recently led the TUC’s Future that Works demonstration in London on October 20^th. 

Kelly Russell, President of Dudley Students Union states:

‘Dudley Students Union are proud supporters of the TUC’s Charter for a Future that Works and chose to host the Summit because youth unemployment is a major concern of Dudley students.

‘Every day I hear students’ fears for the future. During my time in office I have witnessed unprecedented and continuous attacks on students from the removal of Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) to the rise in tuition fees and threats to the Care to Learn budget.

‘Dudley students want EMA restored, the creation of many more apprenticeships and quality work experience with guaranteed pay for interns. We hope that the Summit debate will be the start of a strong message to Government from the Black Country that young people and their future matter to all of us and the government needs to act now.’

TUC Local Organiser Rosa Crawford, who is co-organising the Summit, comments:

‘The fact that local young people have played a central part in the practical and creative development of The Black Country Youth Unemployment Summit shows politicians that young people are skilled and highly motivated to work.  That is why it is so sad and wasteful that there are so few jobs for these young people in the Black Country today.  This is a clear result of the millions of pounds of cuts to the public sector and careers services cuts, trebled costs of University tuition and abolition of EMA.  Instead of austerity and cuts, we are calling for the Government to invest in jobs and skills for young people so they can contribute to society.’

Further information:

- The Summit will take place at The Evolve Theatre, Tower Street, Dudley, DY1 1AF between 2 –  4pm on November 30^th 2012.  Free parking will be available   at the College with advanced booking – email rcrawford@tuc.org.uk

- Photos can be provided after the event on request to rcrawford@tuc.org.uk

- The TUC Charter for A Future that Works has been signed by 15 Midlands MPs so far and both Midlands MEPs.  A full list of signatories can be found at www.tuc.org.uk/blackcountrycharter

-The TUC’s policy on Work Experience can be found at: http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-21054-f0.pdf

- Follow the TUC campaign against youth unemployment on Twitter: @tucwestmidsaction

PCS taking action this Friday, 30th November

Two PCS groups of members are out on strike on Friday 30th November, the Department of Transport (inclusive of all DVLA, DSA, etc, that will mean driving tests for example will not take place), and the Enforcement section of the Ministry of Justice (Fines collection)

DFT will be taking action about the jobs reduction and office closure programme, that will mean at least DVLA in Nottingham will close. Ministry of Justice Enforcement is facing privatisation.

Messages of support can be sent to Paul Williams Dept of Transport PCS Group Chairperson, by email to PAULW@pcs.org.uk or to the PCS Office, Driving Standards Agency, Parliament Street, Nottingham. For Ministry Of Justice please send messages to Kevin Greenway MOJ PCCS Group President by email KEVING@pcs.org.uk or to 28, Central Road, Bromsgrove B60 2NR.

There will be picket lines across the region the best ones to attend, if people can, will be at the DSA office in Nottingham on Parliament Street (from 7 a.m. onwards), and DVLA offices Birmingham 30 Granby Avenue, Garretts Green, Birmingham B33 0SD .