ONS Publish Labour Market Trends April 2006

Labour Market Trends, April 2006, was published today.  This month's edition contains a number of useful articles, covering:

• The impact of free movement of workers within much of the EU on the UK labour market - a report from the Department for Work and Pensions has found no discernible statistical evidence to suggest that migration from the new European Union members states has contributed to the recent rise in claimant unemployment in the UK and that, indeed, the impact of EU migrant workers on the UK has been modest but broadly positive.
• Trade Union membership - Department for Trade and Industry report, demonstrating that a recent rise in union membership may be attributed to increasing numbers of female union members, and
• Productivity within the UK economy by sector

There is also a briefing on new reference sources from the Office for National Statistics which seek to explain labour market statistics, while this month's special features focus on the scientists, engineers and technologists of Great Britain and international comparisons of labour disputes in 2004.