ILO predicts over 195 million job losses
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The International Labour Organization (ILO) has predicted
that, the COVID-19 crisis is expected to wipe out 6.7% of working hours
globally in the second quarter of 2020, equivalent to 195 million full-time
workers.
ILO indicated that, substantial reductions in employment
were foreseen in Arab countries with 8.1% or 5 million full-time employees,
Europe with 7.8% or 12 million full-time workers and Asia and the Pacific with
7.2% or 125 million full-time workers.
According to the Organization, the sectors most at risk
include accommodation and food services, manufacturing, retail and business and
administrative activities.
“Workers and businesses are facing catastrophe, in both
developed and developing economies," said ILO Director-General Guy Ryder,
addressing journalists via video conferencefrom the ILO headquarters in
Geneva.. Suggesting that, "We have to move fast, decisively and together.
The right, urgent measures could make the difference between survival and
collapse."
Massive losses are expected across different income groups,
but especially in upper-middle-income countries of 7%, translating to 100
million full-time workers.
"This far exceeds the effects of the 2008-9 financial
crisis," said Ryder.
"Perhaps more strikingly, that reduction translates
into the loss in three months of 195 million full-time jobs equivalent around
the world and this is calculated with the basic assumption of a working week of
40 hours," he explained.
"If you look at the economic and social issues we are
discussing today, they are in effect a direct consequence of deliberate
policymaking in the field of health," he added.
Ryder said the ILO, which represents organized labor,
employers and countries, supported an integrated approach to the health,
economic and social dimensions of the pandemic as is taken by the UN.
The eventual increase in global unemployment during 2020
will depend substantially on future developments and policy measures.
"There is a high risk that the end-of-year figure will
be significantly higher than the initial ILO projection of 25 million,"
said Ryder.
The ILO said that more than four out of five people -- 81%
-- in the global workforce of 3.3 billion were currently affected by full or
partial workplace closures.
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