2.394m Australians unemployed or under-employed in November

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 8-Dec-17

A Roy Morgan survey shows that 1.288 million Australians were unemployed (9.8% of the workforce) in November 2017, an increase of 89,000 (up 0.6%) on a year ago. In addition, 1.106 million Australians (8.4% of the workforce) were under-employed, working part-time and looking for more work, a rise of 6,000 in a year. In total, 2.394 million Australians were unemployed or under-employed in November. The figures also show that 11,886,000 Australians were employed in November – an increase of 39,000 over the past year. The Roy Morgan real unemployment figures are substantially higher than the current ABS estimate of 5.4% for October. Roy Morgan executive chairman Gary Morgan says it has now been more than two years, or 26 straight months, that more than two million Australians have been unemployed or under-employed. It is this "slack" in the Australian labour market that is responsible for the low wage growth mentioned by the RBA this week in their Statement explaining their decision to leave interest rates unchanged at 1.5%.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Governments, Treasury officials and RBA forecasters all work in sheltered workshops

Original article by P.D Jonson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 34 : 29-Nov-17

In developed nations, governments have opted for definitions of unemployment that make things look better than they really are. For over a decade, Roy Morgan (and myself) have been pointing this out. The latest Roy Morgan survey shows 2.3 million Australians unemployed or underemployed. In percentages of the workforce, this is 9.5 per cent unemployed and 8.5 per cent under-employed, well above the official 5.4 per cent unemployment figure. Hardly shooting the lights out. One might be tempted to imagine that governments, Treasury officials and RBA forecasters all work in sheltered workshops and are the last to accept messages that run against their workshop’s findings. Indeed, their proven blindness has larger consequences. Click for PDF version.

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ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Australia’s real unemployment is up to 10.2% in August

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 8-Sep-17

A Roy Morgan survey shows that 1.324 million Australians were unemployed (10.2% of the workforce) in August 2017. This is similar to a year ago (down 8,000, or 0.2%). However, more Australians are now under-employed than this time last year; 1.241 million (9.5%) Australians are looking for work or looking for more work), up a significant 324,000 (2.4%) in a year. In total, 2.565 million (19.7%) Australians were unemployed or under-employed in August – the 23rd straight month more than 2 million Australians were looking for work or looking for more work. The figures also show that 11,685,000 Australians were employed in August – an increase of 162,000 over the past year (an average of 13,500 jobs added per month). The Roy Morgan real unemployment figures are substantially higher than the current ABS estimate for July (5.6%). Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan says the large increase in part-time jobs over the last year (up 535,000 or about 45,000 per month) obscures the loss of full-time jobs (down 373,000, just over 30,000 per month).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Australia’s real unemployment is 9.4% in July; down 1.1% from a year ago

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 7-Aug-17

A Roy Morgan survey shows that 11,854,000 Australians were employed in July 2017, a substantial increase of 212,000 over the past year (with just under 20,000 jobs added per month). A total of 1.236 million Australians were unemployed in July (9.4% of the workforce). This is down 129,000 (1.1%) from a year ago. An additional 1.226 million Australians (9.4%) were under-employed (looking for work or looking for more work), which is up 55,000 (0.4%). A total of 2.462 million Australians (or 18.8%) were unemployed or under-employed in July. The Roy Morgan real unemployment figures are substantially higher than the current ABS estimate for June 2017 (5.6%). Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan says that finding work for the 2.462 million Australians who are unemployed or under-employed is the Government’s largest challenge, despite what the media may talk about on a continual basis. This large cohort of Australians looking for new employment opportunities will ultimately judge the Government’s success or otherwise based on whether an improving economy is generating sufficient jobs.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

It’s official: June employment is at a record high of 12,330,000

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 10-Jul-17

A Roy Morgan survey on unemployment and under-employment shows that the total Australian workforce was a record 13,530,000 in June 2017 (up 540,000 in 12 months) and employment grew to a record 12,330,000 (up a large 587,000). The number of Australians who were unemployed and looking for work was 1,200,000 (down 47,000), while 1.445 million were under-employed (10.7% of the workforce). A total of 2.645 million Australians (19.6% of the workforce) were looking for work or looking for more work. Australia’s real unemployment for June was 8.9%, compared with the official Australian Bureau of Statistics figure of 5.5% for May. Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan says June was the 21st straight month more than two million Australians have been looking for work or looking for more work and is a concern ahead of the imminent closure of the Australian automotive manufacturing industry in three months.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Over 2.6 million Australians were unemployed or under-employed in May

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 13-Jun-17

Australia’s real unemployment rate was 9.8% (1.284 million Australians looking for work) in May 2017. In addition 1.338 million Australians were under-employed (10.2% of the workforce). This is a total of 2.622 million Australians (20% of the workforce) looking for work or looking for more work. In May the total Australian workforce was 13,074,000 (up 291,000 in 12 months) and employment grew to 11,790,000 (up 376,000). However, the increase in employment was almost entirely driven by a large increase in part-time employment, which rose 346,000 to 4,238,000. Full-time employment rose a modest 30,000 to 7,552,000. Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan says last week’s Fair Work Commission decisions to increase the minimum wage by $22 per week (+3.3%) and partly defer cuts to Sunday penalty rates over three years instead of now have dealt a significant blow to the prospect of more jobs for Australia’s unemployed and under-employed.

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ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

2.3 million Australians unemployed or under-employed in April

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-May-17

Australia’s real unemployment for April was unchanged at 9.3% (1.217 million Australians looking for work). In addition, for the eighth straight month more than 1 million Australians were under-employed in April – now 1.090 million (8.3% of the workforce). This is a total of 2.307 million Australians (17.6% of the workforce) looking for work or looking for more work. In April the total Australian workforce was 13,133,000 (up 323,000 in a year) and employment grew strongly to 11,916,000 (up 440,000). However, the increase in employment was entirely driven by a large increase in part-time employment which rose 471,000 to 4,300,000 while full-time employment fell 31,000 to 7,616,000. So while real unemployment at 9.3% is down 1.1% from a year ago, under-employment is up 0.6% to 8.3% over the same period.

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ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Executive Chairman of Roy Morgan Research Gary Morgan comments on today’s April real unemployment figures

Original article by Gary Morgan, Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-May-17

Australia’s real unemployment rate of 9.3% (1.217 million Australians) in April is far higher than the 5.9% claimed by the ABS as Treasurer Scott Morrison prepares to deliver the first Federal Budget of the re-elected Turnbull Government tonight. In addition, a further 1.090 million Australians are under-employed (8.3% of the workforce), and regularly ignored by both the major political parties and the mainstream media. For the first time last week Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull met new US President Donald Trump who was clear during his campaign that the real American unemployment rate was 20% or 25% rather than the official Bureau of Labor Statistics figure below 5%. Turnbull and his Ministers in Australia need to understand the issues are the same in Australia and the Turnbull Government must follow Trump’s lead by implementing policies to bring back jobs to Australia.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Roy Morgan real unemployment down in February, now 9.4% (1.253m) down 0.6% from Feb 2016

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 15-Mar-17

A Roy Morgan Research survey has found that Australia’s real unemployment rate was 9.4 per cent in February 2017, while the under-employment rate was 8.5 per cent. A total of 2.390 million Australians (17.9% of the workforce) were either unemployed or under-employed, which is down 90,000 (or 0.9%) from February 2016. Some 1.253 million Australians are now unemployed (down 66,000 in the last 12 months), while 1,137,000 are under-employed (down 24,000 in 12 months). Meanwhile, the total Australian workforce was 13,348,000 (up 174,000 since February 2016) and total employment was 12,095,000 (up 240,000 in a year). The official unemployment rate was 5.7 per cent in January 2017.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Over 12 million Australians have jobs for the first time – including over 8 million full-time jobs, but real unemployment now 9.7% (1.295m)

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-Feb-17

A Roy Morgan Research survey has found that Australia’s real unemployment rate was 9.7 per cent in January 2017. Some 1.295 million Australians are now unemployed (down 51,000 in a year), while the number of people who are under-employed has fallen by 122,000 in the last 12 months to 1,107,000 (8.3 per cent of the workforce). Meanwhile, the total workforce has risen to 13,414,000 (up 316,000 since January 2016), and total employment has risen above 12 million for the first time, to 12,120,000 (up 368,000). The number of Australians who are employed full-time has also risen above 8 million for the first time, to 8,085,000 (up 221,000 since January 2016). The official unemployment rate was 5.8 per cent in December 2016. Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan says US President Donald Trump has consistently outlined the problems with the way unemployment is measured in the US. Trump’s insistence that the BLS severely under-estimates US unemployment is one of the primary reasons he was elected President. The Australian Government faces the same problem Trump has called attention to. The changing nature of the workforce in Australia, the US, and for that matter around the world demands that Governments look seriously at amending the official measures of employment and unemployment that policymakers rely on to make decisions that impact millions of their citizens.

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ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION