Public work means dead end for most in Hungary

According to nepszava.hu, public work only improves the statistics of unemployment in most of the problematic counties. This is because only a few can break out and find their way back to the job market. Nevertheless, in the Eastern part of the country public work created 90% of the new workplaces.

Public work: least efficient but easiest to communicate

In fact, the second Orbán-government decided to create public work programs after their landslide victory in 2010. They said then that they would like to help unemployed people to find their way back to the job market. According to Menedzsment Fórum, the market needed central help then because of the 2008/2009 financial depression. However, among the available governmental means

public work was the least effective.

At the same time, of course, this is the way by which an improvement in statistics can be reached in the shortest time possible.

According to the original plans, public work programs should have helped unemployed people to get back to the job market. However, later it became evident that such programs are just traps for most of them. Since they have to work eight hours per day

they have only limited time to find another job.

As a result, it is not surprising that based on the official statistics, only 13-15% of the former public workers can successfully find a job in the market.

Huge differences in Hungary

Furthermore, there is an ever growing geographical division in Hungary regarding the job market. In fact, the country has been split into two parts from this view of point for long. In Western-Hungary companies struggle with a labour shortage. Thus, the public work programs fulfil their original aim and provide pro tempore opportunity for unemployed people. However, in the East unemployment rate is much higher. Therefore,

public work is sometimes the only opportunity to have a job.

For example, in some Eastern counties, public work created 90% of the new workplaces.

Without public work programs, people would have only limited chance to work in these counties because of the meagre supply of jobs. Thus, people taking part in the program do not really have an opportunity to break out.

They can move to the Western part of the country. However, those who can leave their home move abroad instead of the Western parts of the country. There they can get higher wages while they have better working conditions.

Featured image: www.kenderhaz.hu

Source: nepszava.hu