German unemployment on the rise, again

Hoover's Online ^ | May 07 2003 | AFP

[knighthawk]

The number of people seeking work in Germany rose by 44,000 last month to about 4.46 million, the Federal Labour Office has reported citing seasonally adjusted figures.

The figure is roughly in line with analysts' predictions.

The underlying, unadjusted figures showed a decrease of 112,700 to slightly under the 4.5 million barrier at 4.495 million, making a rate of 10.8 percent against 11.1 percent for March.

However, that fall is deceptive, as much of it can be put down to seasonal factors such as the construction sector hiring more workers after the usually slower winter months.

The April figure was the highest for that month since German reunification in 1990.

The gloom on the jobs front is likely to give Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder another argument to steer through a package of economic and social reforms to revive the stuttering economy, Europe's biggest.

They include cutting non-labour costs and making it easier for employers to lay off staff, as well as reductions on health care and pensions.

Schroeder faces an uphill struggle to push through the reforms against the growing opposition of unions and dissenters in his own Social Democrats.

[knighthawk]

Europe-list

If people want on or off this list, please let me know.

[Grampa Dave]

I hope that the Germans and their anti American leaders enjoy these good economic times. Things will get a lot worse in this coming year.

They have lost their cash cow, the Iraqi Blood Money from their Uncle $oddomite.

They will be losing most of our military personnel and bases before the year is over.

Americans and UKers are cancelling vacations and business trips.

It is easy not to by a German made car, knives, crystal or optics. We have better beers and wines made in America by Americans in companies owned by Americans.

So I hope the Germans enjoy their good times now before Herr Shroeder and the communist co leader make things even worse for them.

[longtermmemmory]

forgive me but this is good.

anything that weakens the euro as a currency. Remeber the Euro is a retread deutch mark.

[rllngrk33]

This just breaks my heart.

NOT!!!!!

[Grampa Dave]

The only problem with busting the Euro is that some of our allies use the Euro.

This is why I would like to see France, Germany, Belgium and Russia form the Axis of Whining Evil Weasels.

Then they could have their own currency, military and slide into irrelevance without hurting our allies.

[MikeD]

4.46 million unemployed in Germany? Quick, how long before President Bush is blamed...

MD

[longtermmemmory]

the issue is to prevent the euro from becoming a reserve currency the way the US dollar is the planet's reserve currency. It will not hurt our allies to keep the euro a mere regional currency. The US dollar just has to be #1.

[biblewonk]

Working people eventually get tired of supporting non-working people and join them.