CIPD urges measured approach to job cuts

The Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) has urged the coalition government not to rush public sector job cuts, for fear of flooding the employment market with thousands of job seekers.

Speaking before the publication of the latest unemployment figures, the organisation encouraged the Conservative-Liberal Democrat alliance to implement 80 per cent of its planned public sector redundancies after 2013.

"The majority of forward looking indicators suggest that the UK jobs situation is about to take another turn for the worse," said CIPD chief economic adviser Dr John Philpott. "One wouldn't necessarily choose this moment to start cutting."

He urged the government to adopt a more "middle distance" approach to reducing expenditure and suggested ministers' prospects of re-election may be harmed by rapidly hacking away at the public sector.

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Professionals concerned about the impact the coalition's policies could have over the coming months may benefit from participating in the HR in the Public Sector 2010 forum in November.

Posted by Ross George