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28/11/2011
TUC Publishes Plan To Boost Economy
Britain's largest union has published their 10-point plan to kick-start the UK's flailing economy to coincide with the Chancellor's Autumn statement on Tuesday.
The TUC said it believes the government's unprecedented programme of spending cuts was reducing demand, slowing growth and exacerbating the squeeze on living standards and an urgent stimulus was needed to stave off a double-dip recession.
The briefing sets out 10 immediate measures designed to boost the economy, all of which could be implemented in the next six months, the union said.
The measures the TUC advocates include making quantitative easing "work for the economy", by channelling money directly to firms for investment.
The TUC also wants the Government to reverse the VAT cut, raise capital allowances, invest in apprentices, replace the Future Jobs Fund, and support the creation of apprenticeships and a government commitment that no unemployed young person will spend more than six months out of employment or training.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: "The Chancellor's economic plan A has sent unemployment to a 17-year high and the UK's economic outlook is the gloomiest it's been since the end of the recession.
"We urgently need a plan B to get people back into work and the economy back on its feet. The government must change course now and bring in immediate measures to support jobs and promote growth.
"The measures the TUC is suggesting today - including a reversal of the VAT cut, increased investment for apprentices and young people, and lifting the public sector wage freeze - could all be implemented quickly and would give the economy that much-needed boost."
Other measures put forward by the union include investing in energy-intensive industries, using procurement to support the economy to provide job opportunities, protecting the science budget, reversing the cut in support for the solar power feed-in tariff, reversing the public sector wage freeze and the introduction of a one-off increase in child benefit.
(DW)
The TUC said it believes the government's unprecedented programme of spending cuts was reducing demand, slowing growth and exacerbating the squeeze on living standards and an urgent stimulus was needed to stave off a double-dip recession.
The briefing sets out 10 immediate measures designed to boost the economy, all of which could be implemented in the next six months, the union said.
The measures the TUC advocates include making quantitative easing "work for the economy", by channelling money directly to firms for investment.
The TUC also wants the Government to reverse the VAT cut, raise capital allowances, invest in apprentices, replace the Future Jobs Fund, and support the creation of apprenticeships and a government commitment that no unemployed young person will spend more than six months out of employment or training.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: "The Chancellor's economic plan A has sent unemployment to a 17-year high and the UK's economic outlook is the gloomiest it's been since the end of the recession.
"We urgently need a plan B to get people back into work and the economy back on its feet. The government must change course now and bring in immediate measures to support jobs and promote growth.
"The measures the TUC is suggesting today - including a reversal of the VAT cut, increased investment for apprentices and young people, and lifting the public sector wage freeze - could all be implemented quickly and would give the economy that much-needed boost."
Other measures put forward by the union include investing in energy-intensive industries, using procurement to support the economy to provide job opportunities, protecting the science budget, reversing the cut in support for the solar power feed-in tariff, reversing the public sector wage freeze and the introduction of a one-off increase in child benefit.
(DW)
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