SFA: 2002 bleak year on the jobs front
2002 has been a bleak year on the jobs front with around 490 jobs lost weekly according to the Small Firms Association, which is forecasting similar prospects for the year ahead.
The SFA says the ability of small firms to create employment is at an eight-year low and is warning of a further decline in 2003 because of the continued erosion of cost competitiveness.
There was an increase of 28% in redundancies over the last year, with the number signing on the dole now at 23,574.
The SFA is also warning that any war in the Middle East would have a sudden and severe impact on job creation next year.
