GMB says:- "The employment latest rates show that the North West has missed out on the Recovery so far."

"MUCH of the growth is due to demographic factors so GDP per head is 5.7% below 2007 levels and is the root cause of average earnings being down 13.8% in real terms since then." the GMB has said in a press release this week.   The employment rate in the North West region is 69%. This is 3.6% below the UK average rate of 71.6%, according to new figures released by the Office of National Statistics, also released this week. The employment rate among the resident population of Liverpool aged 16 to 64 is 61.2%, so that is 14.5% below the UK average rate of 71.6%. Manchester is another area in the region where the employment rate at 62.3% is 13% below the UK average. Plus Rochdale has an employment rate of 62.5% which is 12.7% below the UK average of 71.6%. Blackburn with Darwen has an employment rate at 63%, which is 12% below the UK average of 71.6%.   The areas in the region with the highest employment rate are Warrington with 79.2%, Stockport with 75.5% and Cheshire West and Chester with 75.1%. The figures for all 23 areas in the region are shown in the table below.  These figures are from a new analysis by GMB of the latest employment figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) are as follows:-
 

Employment rate April 2013/March 2014 in the North West
Rank	Area	Employment rate April 2013 to March 2014	% above or below the UK average
N/A	United Kingdom	71.6	--
N/A	North West	69.0	-3.6
1	Liverpool	61.2	-14.5
2	Manchester	62.3	-13.0
3	Rochdale	62.5	-12.7
4	Blackburn with Darwen	63.0	-12.0
5	Salford	65.1	-9.1
6	Knowsley	66.0	-7.8
7	Oldham	66.5	-7.1
8	Bolton	66.7	-6.8
9	Tameside	67.5	-5.7
10	Halton	68.3	-4.6
11	Blackpool	68.5	-4.3
12	Lancashire	68.7	-4.1
13	Wirral	68.9	-3.8
14	St. Helens	69.6	-2.8
15	Wigan	71.7	0.1
16	Cheshire East	72.5	1.3
17	Sefton	72.7	1.5
18	Bury	72.9	1.8
19	Trafford	73.4	2.5
20	Cumbria	74.6	4.2
21	Cheshire West and Chester	75.1	4.9
22	Stockport	75.5	5.4
23	Warrington	79.2	10.6

Paul McCarthy, GMB Regional Secretary, said that:- "The fall in unemployment is welcome. However it is time to drill down into the details of what types of jobs are being created and in what parts of the country.  There are large swathes of the country and a great number of workers that have seen little or no benefit from this recovery. In places like Liverpool and Manchester the level of employment is way below the UK average of 71.6%. This needs addressing. Much of the growth is due to demographic factors and the increase in population means GDP per head is still 5.7% below 2007 levels. See notes to editors for figures This is the root cause of average earnings being down 13.8% in real terms since then."