A new analysis by GMB public services union of official data for employment in local councils in England and Wales (compiled by The Office of National Statistics) shows that between the first quarter of 2010 and the second quarter of 2011 the drop in the number of women employed by all councils in England and Wales accounts for 66.4% of the total drop in employment in councils. (85.710 female job losses out of 129.051 total council jobs)
And there are 19 councils where the drop in the number of women employed accounts for 100% of the total drop; North Warwickshire, Lichfield, Powys, Stroud, Canterbury, East Hampshire, Spelthorne, Wealden, Oxford, Pendle, Allerdale, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harlow, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, High Peak, Cotswold, West Somerset, Tonbridge and Malling and South Ribble.
Detailed figures for councils in all regions of England and Wales can be found here.http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/latest_news/women_council_job_losses.aspx
Brian Strutton, GMB National Secretary for Public services said, “The drop in the number of women employed in local government and state schools accounts for more than two-thirds of the drop in numbers employed by councils in England and Wales since the general election. This is a direct result of the government's cuts in public spending. This was entirely predictable because the public sector employs more women than men."
The drop in the number of women employed in the public sector means a serious loss of income from employment to women across the UK. Many households depend on having income from two wage earners to pay the mortgage and the household bills. The impact will be even worse in the quarter of households with children that are headed by lone parents, 90 per cent of whom are women.
The Tories and Lib Dem’s big gamble that private sector growth would create enough jobs to compensate for their cuts in public sector jobs has not come off as the rise in unemployment to 2.57 million shows.
In the middle of the worst international recession for 80 years it is the Government itself that is creating unemployment with 250,000 public sector posts already gone and still more cuts to come. These posts could have been available to the 2.57 million workers now facing the despair of mass unemployment.
Government policy is hurting but it’s not working.We know that the Tories are the uncaring party of mass unemployment but Marie Antoinette impression from the Lib Dems has got to stop. An emergency budget for investment in jobs is overdue.
The priority is for investment to create jobs and boost confidence rather than cuts in the tax rate for the super-rich.
Investment in housing, school repair, energy and transport are all badly needed and will create jobs and growth in all sectors of the economy.
Barriers to recruitment of women such as ensuring affordable childcare and access to flexible working need to be tackled. Specific measures are also needed to ensure that unemployed women receive the support they need to get them back into work.
The squandering of human talent through unemployment is a crime that will haunt future generations.”
