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 APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200090021-3

'''FIGURE 11. Age-sex distribution of labor force (U/OU)''' (chart)

rate of unemployment compares favorably with rates in other Western nations (Figure 12). In the early fall of 1972, however, unemployment hovered close to 2.5%. Still not really severe, particularly for so highly industrialized, socialized, and solvent a nation, the higher rate, nevertheless, causes concern to the ruling Social Democrats. It is the first significant unemployment in over two generations, and it appears to be fairly evenly distributed throughout the country. The sharp decline in unemployment from 2.8% of the labor force in April 1972 to 2.3% in May has been encouraging. The normal seasonal fluctuations would account for less than a third of this improvement.

Of the 87,000 unemployed in April 1971—2.2% of the labor force—64,000 were registered at unemployment exchanges, and of those registered 14.4% were under 25 years of age and 30.3% were 60 years or older. Among persons covered by unemployment insurance the rate was 11.2% for construction workers, 2.7% for blue-collar workers in mining and manufacturing, and 0.5% for white-collar workers. Not counted as unemployed were approximately another 1.2% of the labor force—27,248 persons on work relief projects, 23,511 undergoing vocational training not connected with regular schooling, and 5,621 receiving subsidized on-the-job training.

Both to overcome labor shortages and to cope with unemployment, the government has adopted a number of different programs and services. For example, a national employment service with 247 exchanges provides vocational guidance and matches applicants with vacancies. The latter function is computerized and accomplished on a nationwide basis in a matter of minutes. The government also provides

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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200090021-3