Nowadays, the monopoly controlled media seem to speak less about
"unemployment" and more about "employment growth." This, of
course, is to take the mind of the public away from the
staggering levels of unemployment and get the people to think
that the restructuring measures of governments at all levels are
giving the economy "a boost". The talk about a "robust economy"
and "employment growth" is designed to divert attention away from
the economic system which is inherently crisis-ridden and whose
fellow-traveller unemployment is. The profit figures which are
being published, taken alongside the employment figures, merely
show that the recovery is for the monopoly capitalists and
financial oligarchs whose profits have truly recovered. For the
rest of society, the economy is not geared to guarantee either a
livelihood, job security, or wages consistent with what is
required to live at the standard of living society has achieved.
The October average unemployment rate in Canada came in at
9.1 %, up 0.1 % from one year ago. There are 24,000 fewer people
employed than the month before. This caused no end of
consternation for the Chretien Liberals who have been crowing that their
policies are creating employment for Canadians. There was a drop
in employment for working youths 20-24 years old and a "slight
increase" in employment among 15 to 19 year-olds. This, coupled
with a drop in the number of young people participating in the
labour market, gave rise to an official youth unemployment rate
of 16.3 %.
Employment among adult women is said to have increased
since February by 96,000 positions, of which Statscan reports
that 89 % were full-time. Statscan also reports that "Although on
a downward trend since late 1996, unemployment among adult women
rose by 27,000 in October, pushing their unemployment rate up 0.4
% age points to 8.1 %."
For adult men, since February employment grew by 148,000
jobs (+2.3 %), while unemployment fell by 64,000. "As a result,
the unemployment rate for adult men dropped 1.0 %age points to
7.5 %."
Furthermore, in October part-time employment increased,
off-setting a drop in full-time work. StatsCan reports that since
February, "the proportion of workers with part-time hours has
hovered around 19 % for most of the period."
In the public sector, since February the number of workers
has dropped an additional 16,000, "continuing a trend that began
about three years ago."
Overall, the number of self-employed is up 2.5 % (+62,000)
from February. This is despite the fact that for two consecutive
months there has been a decline in the number of self-employed
people. In October alone it fell by 21,000.
The highest unemployment rate was in Newfoundland, at 17.5
%, down 0.5 % since last year. This decrease is due in part to
the fishers who have either had to move from the province or are
no longer considered members of the active labour force. The
unemployment rate was recorded at 13.1%, down from 13.7% in
Prince Edward Island; 11.6 %, down from 11.8 %, in Nova Scotia;
12.1 %, up from 11.9 % in New Brunswick; 11.3 % in Quebec, down
from 11.4 %; 8.5 %, up from 8.1 %, in Ontario; it remained the
same in Manitoba at 6.6 %; 6.3 % in Saskatchewan, up from 5.9 %;
5.8 %, up from 5.6 %, in Alberta, and 9.0 % up from 8.9 % in B.C.
TML WEEKLY, 11/16/97
Shawgi Tell
Graduate School of Education
University at Buffalo
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
