A Guide to Action
What can be done to combat unemployment?
Government Action
- Changing work schedules: A recent report from the Associated Press stated that countries which have not yet seen significant rises in unemployment are those such as Germany and France, which have provided or expanded upon short-time working schemes. These are programs in which workers agree to work fewer hours in exchange for government compensation. In this way companies and institutions can avoid massive layoffs which have been so devastating in normal situations during the recession.
- Welfare: The Social Security system provides a stipend for the retired and disabled as well as unemployment insurance. While welfare is intended to alleviate the financial stress faced by the unemployed, the effectiveness of these programs varies from country to country.
- Legislation: During the Great Depression in the United States, President Roosevelt’s New Deal legislation formed several organizations like the Public Works Administration (PWA), the Works Project Administration (WPA) and the National Youth Administration (NYA) which created thousands of low-skill blue collar jobs (mostly for men, but sometimes also for women, youth and white-collar workers). The programs were effective, at least for the people who took advantage of them, but also cost over $3 billion.
Workers carry bricks to the PWA construction site of Teaneck High School in New Jersey. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.
President Obama signed legislation in early November intended to alleviate the rising joblessness in the U.S. Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images photo.
On November 6, President Obama signed legislation to extend unemployment insurance benefits and tax credits for first-time homebuyers, and provide tax refunds to companies that are losing money. The administration is considering implementing public works acts to work on roads, bridges, and making buildings more energy efficient to try to reduce joblessness. Many say the rising unemployment proves that the $787 billion economic stimulus isn’t working and call on Congress to cut taxes instead. U.S. unemployment rate rose to 10.2 percent last month, the highest figure in 26 years. The U.S. has lost 7.3 million jobs since the recession started in December 2007. Click here to learn more.
International Action
- One recent example is the Lisbon Treaty, which aims to streamline the workings of the European Union’s government and bolster the power and influence of the EU on the world stage. The treaty strongly supports research and development in EU countries as well as expansion of the green industry. If it is ratified, these changes are expected to create thousands of jobs in these fields – good news for some countries still struggling with higher-than-usual unemployment rates.
- The governing body of the International Labor Organization is currently in session in Geneva examining the response to the global economic crisis and assessing the current outlook for job market recovery. The session, which will last through November 20, is part of the Global Jobs Pact, adopted by the organization’s International Labor Conference in June. Under the pact, governments, employers and workers’ organizations work together to tackle the global jobs crisis through policies based on the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda.
We can promote awareness and fundraising for organizations like this. Not only do they have events and campaigns to raise public awareness about labor rights, they have projects and training in several different countries.
go to http://www.ilo.org/global/What_we_do/lang–en/index.htm for more information
Employment Opportunity Organizations
There are many government, private and non-profit organizations that help people find jobs or prepare to enter the workforce.
One example of an organization like these is Shaw-Trust, currently the largest third sector employment provider in the UK. Shaw-Trust offers job preparation and training and support programs to help disadvantaged and disabled people find work. They have charitable interests in Romania and Poland and recently merged with Interwork, an Australian employment charity. Transnational convergences like these help workers in both countries pool resources and experience to make their projects more effective.
http://www.shaw-trust.org.uk/home
Websites also provide many people with a start at finding work or improving a career.
Career FAQs (Australia)
various U.S. job search engines
http://www.rabota.ru/ (Russia)
Direct Action For Individuals
Individually,we can help combat unemployment by supporting upcoming bills that take measures against it. Congress.org is a good site to go to search for bills dealing with any issue, see the sponsors and status of the bill, and call or write to your congressmen in support of or against the legislation. (This actually only takes a few minutes, believe it or not. How convenient!)
Workers looking for jobs can take advantage of employment programs like those mentioned above and use their time to improve their own skills, which will improve their chances of being hired. If you are unemployed and truly want to find work, it may be helpful to spend as much time working on getting hired as you would spend in a regular 9 to 5 job.
- Build your resume: this often involves completing basic education requirements such as a GED, high school diploma, or completing a 2 year or 4 year degree program; earning a certificate or license specific to the career you want; getting experience in the field through work study, internships, apprenticeships, or part-time work.
- Build and maintain connections with people such as former bosses, teachers, professors, program coordinators and employees of institutions or companies in your field and related fields. You can form a network through these individuals that can help you get a foot in the door when applying for a job, stay updated on new positions and openings you could be eligible for, and know what skills those employers are looking for. Certain people in your network can also serve as recommendations required by many interviewers.
- Obtain and improve skills which are desirable to employers in your field. For media workers, it means outstanding writing, quickly synthesizing and distributing a story, and shooting and editing video. For writers and artists, it means incorporating more creativity and innovation into your work than has been seen in others. In almost any field that uses computers, employers need workers who have a superior knowledge of the appropriate technology and can use it effectively.
- Consider moving into a job classification which has a skills shortage. For example, apparently chefs and hair dressers are expected to be in high demand in Australia because of the high turnover and burnout rate of these jobs. If there is truly nothing available in your chosen field, it may be time to begin searching elsewhere, either in another field or in the same field but another location.
