The Christian trade union, ACV, has expressed its disapproval of the federal government’s Easter agreement.
ACV has criticised the time limitation on unemployment benefits, calling it “an utterly foolish decision.”
“120,000 job seekers will lose their benefits, but no one can prove that these individuals will find work,” claimed the union.
The federal government finalised an Easter agreement late on Friday evening. The most notable measure is the limit on unemployment benefits over time. Soon, those who have been unemployed for more than two years will lose their benefits, except for those over 55 who have worked for at least 30 years.
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ACV argues that the decision is senseless, stating that there is no guarantee that long-term unemployed individuals will find jobs. “The financial incentive is not the issue,” said ACV.
Analyses show that the vast majority of those excluded from benefits will not find work in the short term. “If a suitable offer in the labour market had existed for them, they would already be working,” ACV added.
The trade union also believes that the cost to society will not decrease.
Many job seekers will rely on social welfare or disability benefits instead, ACV pointed out.
