Latest figures showed that 1.02 million women were unemployed by September this year, the highest level since 1988, when Margaret Thatcher was in power.
Unions warned that the squeeze on public sector spending would see more women lose their jobs in the coming year.
Data from the Office for National Statistics showed a rise of 167,000 in the total number of people in work, with overall employment reaching 29.19 million between June and September.
The headline employment figures were boosted by a record 4 million workers setting up as self-employed, and tens of thousands more people taking part-time and temporary jobs because they could not find permanent, full-time work.
However, the number of adults in work was still 210,000 lower than two years ago and experts warned that the “misleading” rise in employment was based on “shaky foundations”.
The figures disclosed a sharp divide between the sexes, with women faring far worse than men.
Unemployment among men fell by 40,000 during the quarter-year to September, to reach 1.43 million; at the same time, the number of women out of work rose by 31,000.
Brendan Barber, the TUC general secretary, blamed job cuts in the public sector.
“Female unemployment has been rising for over a year. Women have been hit by falling employment in public administration and health,” he said.
The number of job vacancies in education, which is another field dominated by women, fell by 10,000 to reach 31,000 over the three-months to October.
Mr Barber warned that worse was to come: “With half a million more jobs set to go in the female-dominated public sector, women look likely to suffer rising joblessness for some time.”
Between March and June, the public sector as a whole shrank by 22,000 to 6.05 million people.
However, the figures showed that pay and bonuses were rising faster in state-funded jobs than the private sector. In addition to a more cautious approach to pay rises, businesses appeared reluctant to take on more full-time staff amid continuing concerns about the economy.
The number of people in part-time jobs soared to the highest level on record – up 142,000 to 7.98 million. The number of over-16s in full-time work rose by just 25,000 during the same period. Overall unemployment fell by 9,000 to 2.45 million.
Jonathan Loynes, an economist at Capital Economics, warned that the improved employment figures gave a “misleadingly strong” picture.
“The latest rise in employment was again driven entirely by increases on self-employment and part-time positions,” he said.
Ian Brinkley, associate director of The Work Foundation added: “We need to see full-time work expand much more strongly before we can be confident that the jobs recovery is solidly grounded.”
The figures indicated long-term unemployment, counting those out of work for more than a year, increased by 20,000 during the quarter to 817,000. It includes an increase of 2,000 to 171,000 among the over 50s who have been unemployed for more than a year.
Nigel Meager, director of the Institute for Employment Studies, said the figures highlighted the “fragile” nature of the labour market.
“It remains unclear whether the renewed buoyancy in the private sector will suffice to offset the further significant job loss expected in the public sector in the months ahead,” he said.
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
One million women unemployed as government spending cuts start to bite - Telegraph
via telegraph.co.uk
