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3
The rise in the unemployed registers was, of course, exacerbated
by the acute wintry weather and at the end of January there were
1,290 adults unemployed in the Employment Exchange area, the highest
level since the end of the war (apart from the time of the fuel crisis
in February, 1947, which was only of a few weeks duration). These very
high registers were maintained almost until the middle of March when
the weather began to improve and the building trade workers, who at the
peak period comprised 40% of the numbers unemployed, were able to return
to work.
From Easter onwards, however, there was a noticeable improvement
in the situation with a stepping up of labour demands for both men
and women. By the end of the year there were as many vacancies available
in the area for women as for men, and sometimes more. It was
pleasing to note this still continuing improvement in the employment
situation at the end of the year when the total unfilled demands for
labour were higher than in September and much higher than at the end of
1962. The shortage of female labour was acute, particularly for the
many outstanding factory vacancies, and it became a cause of serious
concern to many local employers, Some factories resorted to evening
shifts for women.
It was not until October, 1963, however, that the number of
unemployed finally fell below the comparable figures of 1962, and from
then until the end of the year, contrary to the normal trend, the
figures remained steady and were about the same as in the summer. At
the end of December, 1962, there were 705 men and 129 women unemployed,
but by the end of 1963 these totals had fallen to 509 and 88 respectively.
The industries in the Borough are diverse, the main ones being
aircraft manufacture, motor engineering, building, printing, plastic
moulding, beer and wine bottling, paint and cellulose manufacture, retail
distribution, and national and local Government, The number of
engagements of labour through the Exchange were 286 fewer than in the
previous year largely because of the fewer vacancies prevailing in the
early part of the year for reasons stated earlier in this report. By
the end of the year, however, there were more than twice as many notified
outstanding vacancies for men as there were at the same time in 1962,
There was a considerable increase in the demands for women as well.
During 1963 the Exchange placed 3,052 men in local work and 134
in work in other areas, 971 women were found work locally and 34 in
other areas. Of those placed 194 men and 33 women were disabled.
The number of ex-Regular service men (other ranks) who sought
help in their resettlement into civilian employment in 1963 was 52,
Of these 19 were placed in employment and 5 accepted for courses of
vocational training to fit them for specific occupations in civilian
life.