Cuba Ratifies Full Employment

Havana, Dec 21, 2005. (Prensa Latina) The Cuban unemployment rate stands at 1.9 percent, one of the world´s lowest, while the government toils for its complete elimination based on the principle that all citizens play a role and have the right to work in a socialist society.

One of the latest provinces to ratify that condition is Granma, which surpassed its plan for 2005 by 18 percent, as it has created 10,000 new jobs up to December, a figure likely to climb before the year ends, as reported by the National Information Agency (AIN).

Labor and Social Security Ministry officials stated jobs were mostly granted to youth and women, conform to the policy drawn up by the State.

They referred to public health, education, trade, culture, urban agriculture and construction as main work sources.

According to the International Labor Organization, a nation attains full employment when the unemployment rate is lower than three percent.

The US registers 6.2 percent unemployment and the European Union 8.8 percent, while that of Latin America and the Caribbean stands at 11 percent in urban areas.

Besides full employment for all the economically active people, more than three million Cubans have benefited from social measures such as consecutive increases of the minimum wage and social security pensions in 2005.