Labour market / shortages / skills mismatch?

Geuze

There are labour shortages in several sectors at the moment.

I read about some sectors looking to hire non-EU staff, see here:

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2021/0924/1248728-retail-excellence-on-staff-shortages/

Yet, at the same time, there are 180,000 people on the Live Register, and 143,000 people on PUP.

It seems that there is a large re-allocation of labour going on?

Could we do more to match the 300,000+ on LR / PUP to the vacancies?

If so, what more can we do?

This is not the typical unemployment due to a lack of demand in the economy.

As well as these general questions, I have a specific question:

There are 23,062 builders and 21,553 plant and machine operatives on the Live Register in August 2021.

https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/lr/liveregisteraugust2021/

I can't understand this, nearly 45,000 people on the LR while the construction sector faces huge labour shortages?

Should the DSP approach these 45,000 people and help them get jobs / match them up with employer?

Wanderer78

..........

head82

There is one important factor dictating to the current labour shortage at the moment that is not getting much coverage (although Leo Varadker did briefly refer to it the other day in his speech regarding DSP topping up redundancy paymnents).

And that is.. a lot of those still in receipt of PUP are potentially entitled to a redundancy payment from their current/former employer which upto now they have been unable to claim. If this individual did obtain alternative employment, they would forfeit that entitlement. That payment could be a substantial amount and even Leo acknowledged the reluctance of PUP recipients to take up other work. He stated it could be anywhere between 25,000 and 55,000.

Once this issue is resolved, I suspect a large portion of the current labour shortage will be filled.

Geuze

Head82, thanks.

I don't fully get you point.

You mean workers are still on the former payroll, and are slow to leave it?

head82

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117933052#Comment_117933052

They are still technically employed by their current employer.. albeit in receipt of PUP. Until they are formally 'let go', any redundancy entitlements still apply. Hence, the unwillingness to forfeit statuatory redundancy.

Wanderer78

unemployment is very complicated, particularly long term, but i cant blame many newly unemployed from refusing to return to work, as covid has completely exposed many sectors, in regards rates of pay and conditions. pup payments have shown to be successful, as the majority of this money went almost immediately into private sector business bank accounts, as this money was spent into the economy, this money in return, returned to the exchequer via these economic activities. we maybe at the point of now justifying radical policies such as a ubi, as trying to encourage employers to increase pay, may simply be too much for many, forcing them to shut.

long term unemployment is a totally different ball game, an absolute train wreck, its ultimately due to our refusal in dealing with highly complex social problems, in particular failing to meet these peoples physiological needs, and in many cases, actually exasperating them