LABOUR MARKET ISSUES. Issues: The parties agree the key issues to be addressed are: • the unemployment rate in the Southern Midlands area is higher than the average for the State; • Economic Development sees potential in working closely with the Southern Midlands Council on employment related strategies. In particular, through the Partnerships to Jobs program, there is potential to improve collaboration between the Southern Midlands Council, business and community organisations to identify sustainable employment opportunities for long-term unemployed and disadvantaged job seekers; and • Economic Development has a number of programs to help business improve its capacity to attract and retain skilled labour, and address the barriers to higher rates of workforce participation. Economic Development would welcome the opportunity to work with industry and the Southern Midlands Council to assist businesses to respond appropriately to skills shortages, including skilled seasonal labour shortages, and increase workforce participation.
LABOUR MARKET ISSUES. 1. Acknowledging the significant transformations in the world of work driven by technological innovations, demographic shifts, environmental and climate change, and globalisation, the Parties shall direct their efforts on further developing a human- centered approach to the future of work, as reflected in the ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work of 2019, while recognizing the strong, complex and crucial links between social, trade, financial, economic and environmental policies.
