Retorts

The Unemployed

Your editorial in the June issue contains some rather unthinking -- and quite appalling -- comments which mirror the government's views of the unemployed as "dole bludgers", imply acceptance of the Business Round Table's view that our economy needs a permanent level of unemployment, and continue the victim-bashing of our daily papers.

The existence of (a few) "undeserving unemployed" means there is also a (larger) block of deserving unemployed. Is the difference simply the possession of some tertiary qualification as implied by your editorial? That's awfully elitist, isn't it? And unthinking.

The statement that they "do have something to offer" in its context implies the other unemployed do not. Again, a view that doesn't stand-up to much scrutiny or objective consideration.

New Zealand has an army of unemployed; many school-leavers and graduates alike are doomed to be part of it, and others presently employed are continuing to join it.

Who "deserves" this and who doesn't? The unemployed are not to blame for there being too few jobs. Our society is one of economic boom and bust, driven by the selfish demand for maximum profits that can be seen to motivate all of the utterances of the Business Round Table. What is good for that body is not necessarily good for the country, and unemployment is one such.

People do not choose to be unemployed, whether little or highly trained. They simply compete for the available jobs, and in times like the present some inevitably miss out. When there are fewer jobs available than people seeking work there is absolutely no justice or justification in blaming the victims for their unenviable position. In this situation their unemployed condition is not their fault. And victim bashing does not provide more jobs.

"Many of these people need only a slight boost to get back into work" you say. Tripe! They need jobs. None of these Access and other training schemes actually creates more long-term jobs. They simply alter slightly the chances of individuals.

To tackle the serious problem of unemployment and the wastage of human resources that it entails real job creation is required for people with all levels of training and experience. It will not be achieved by playing one section off against another. All have something to offer, all deserve the opportunity and have the right to work.

Prof J.A. Grant-Mackie
Assoc. Professor of Geology
University of Auckland

I used the term "undeserving" unemployed to highlight the fact that an increasing sector of unemployed people are barred from training schemes and job subsidies because they have more than two passes in School C (hardly "elitist") and a bit of job experience --  they are often considered by those in charge of such programmes to be not requiring any help.

It does not follow, however, that this implies that there is a group of people who deserve to be unemployed, and no such suggestion was intended. Nor does it follow that because one group has something to offer, the other does not.

We desperately need to alleviate unemployment and create jobs. It serves no purpose to hinder those most easily removed from unemployment rolls. I know of a number of small companies keen to create jobs but who are finding it difficult to do so because the level of skill required means little chance of gaining an interim job subsidy. It is this form of "slight boost" which, if offered, would help the individuals involved obtain long-term employment. In the meantime, cases continue of unskilled workers being exploited on short-term subsidised schemes. This situation does no-one any good.