Due to seasonal fluctuations, the number of unemployed is up. Employment offices registered an increase of 132,000 unemployed over last month, for a total of more than 4.3 million. According to the Federal Labour Office, the rate has climbed from 11 percent to 11.4 percent in the last month. Taking seasonal adjustments into account, there are 17,000 more unemployed around Germany than last month. Since last winter saw systemic unemployment increase significantly too, there are 443,000 more unemployed today than 12 months ago.
Union blames government for high unemployment Bonn.
The German Federation of Unions is laying most of the blame for the miserable employment situation at the feet of the federal government. The Federation says Bonn is helpless and clueless as unemployment and stocks both set new records at the same time. It says that rather than creating jobs, things are being dismantled, and points at the latest cuts in training and job-creation programs. The situation is supposed to be especially dramatic among young people, who often cannot find a job after completing their apprenticeship, and who constitute an increasing portion of the ranks of the unemployed. The SPD is calling for a quick drop in secondary wage costs, as a means of putting more money in people's pockets and so stimulating the economy and creating new jobs.