Where Are All the Workers?
The UK is short of butchers, bricklayers, welders, fruit pickers, truck drivers, carers and others. Is this all due to the pandemic and Brexit, or is something more going on?
A supermarket chain is offering Β£1000 welcoming handshakes to new truck drivers - just one indication of the shortages in the haulage industry.
The Road Haulage Association says that there is now a shortfall of 100,000 lorry drivers across the UK and other sectors of the economy are also finding it difficult to find workers, including in hospitality, construction and IT.
The pandemic has shaken things up and Brexit has seen thousands of EU workers returning home - but is this a short-term problem or are there deeper structural changes happening?
Joining David Aaronovitch in the Briefing Room:
Dougie Rankine, editor of Truck and Driver magazine.
Katherine Price, news editor of The Caterer.
Tony Hill, Director of the Institute for Employment Studies.
Yael Selfin, Chief Economist, KMPG UK.
Torsten Bell, Chief Executive at the Resolution Foundation.
Jane Gratton, Head of People Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce.
Producers: John Murphy, Sally Abrahams and Kirsteen Knight.
Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot
Editor: Jasper Corbett
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Broadcasts
- Thu 29 Jul 2021 20:00Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Sat 31 Jul 2021 11:00Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
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The Briefing Room
David Aaronovitch presents in-depth explainers on big issues in the news.
