OECD warns governments over long-term unemployment
(15 Sep 2011) SHOTLIST 1. Wide of Angel Gurria, Secretary General of Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), walking on podium 2. Mid of Gurria and John Martin, Director of Employment at OECD, sitting down 3. SOUNDBITE (English) Angel Gurria, Secretary General, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): "Economic growth is faltering in many OECD countries, there has been even some taking back of the growth of the emerging economies and at the same time unemployment remains stubbornly high." 4. Mid of OECD banner 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Angel Gurria, Secretary General, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): "I would like to put the spotlight on two particular worrying aspects of the current situation. One is the serious threat of unemployment becoming entrenched, entrenched means long term, and the disproportionate impact of the crisis on youth unemployment. Those are the two main issues of this study. Both are just as important, they are new phenomena. One is long term unemployment, we''ll see the numbers in a minute, the other one is about the fact that this crisis seems to have targeted the youth to produce very very high figures of unemployment." 6. Cutaway reporters 7. SOUNDBITE (English) Angel Gurria, Secretary General, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): "Let me say it loud and clear: tackling high and persistent unemployment, improving job opportunities, insuring adequate social safety-nets should be at the top of the political agenda." 8. Cutaway reporters 9. SOUNDBITE (English) Angel Gurria, Secretary General, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): "Before the crisis, long term unemployment affected 4 out of 10 unemployed people in France and Germany, it was less of a problem in Spain and in the UK and affected only 1 in 10 in the US. The picture is quite different today. Long term unemployment has tripled in the US, it is affecting more than 1 in 3 from 1 in 10." 10. Wide of conference STORYLINE The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development is urging governments to act more boldly to stop a rise in long-term unemployment and keep young and vulnerable workers in the job market. The Paris-based body OECD says unemployment remains "stubbornly high" and is forecast to remain anemic in its member nations, which include the United States and leading rich countries. In a report released on Thursday, the OECD says its members had 44 (m) million people registered unemployed in mid-2011 - 13 (m) million more than before the financial crisis. "Let me say it loud and clear: tackling high and persistent unemployment, improving job opportunities, insuring adequate social safety-nets should be at the top of the political agenda," OECD chief Angel Gurria tells reporters. It says governments cannot stand still, and warns of high unemployment becoming entrenched. "One is the serious threat of unemployment becoming entrenched, entrenched means long term, and the disproportionate impact of the crisis on youth unemployment. Those are the two main issues of this study. Both are just as important, they are new phenomena," Gurria says. It says well-designed hiring subsidies and help for the most vulnerable should be priorities. "Before the crisis, long term unemployment affected 4 out of 10 unemployed people in France and Germany, it was less of a problem in Spain and in the UK and affected only 1 in 10 in the US. The picture is quite different today. Long term unemployment has tripled in the US, it is affecting more than 1 in 3 from 1 in 10." Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
