Pre-election job figures out tomorrow

Thursday 09 October 2014

With just days to go before the election, major figures on the job market and employment across sectors of the economy will be released tomorrow.

The Labour Market report measures employment in Jersey in the public and private sectors. The figures have been delayed to now because the States’ new population register system caused problems with the stats, but the figures up to the end of June this year will be out tomorrow.

The last report painted a negative picture of the Labour Market in June 2013 – saying that private sector employment had dropped by 270 in the previous 12 months, and that public sector employment grew by 150 in the same period.

The new figures will show what has changed in the last year, a crucial test for the senior ministers standing for re-election: Chief Minister Ian Gorst, Treasury Minister Philip Ozouf and Economic Development Minister Alan Maclean.

The last figures (for June 2013) showed the following changes in the numbers of full-time jobs:

Agriculture – 1,980 (an increase of 380).

Construction – 940 (a decrease of 30).

Wholesale/retail – 4,690 (a decrease of 150).

Hotels, restaurants and bars – 4,970 (a decrease of 110).

Finance – 11,350 (a decrease of 190).