Real figures behind façade optimism. While Vladimir Poutine is talking about the beginning of a drop, based on the number of jobseekers listed by employment agencies (2.7 million in early march), the Union Federation uses more pessimistic statistics from the Rosstat state agency, that listed 6.8 million jobseekers  in January 2010 (10.7% of active workers). Employment agencies’ bad name and the low level of unemployment benefits don’t drive to registration. In addition, according to the Federation, 1.2 million people work less via forced holidays or shorter working hours, not mentioning wage cuts, the depreciation of the rouble, inflation… and unpaid wages: RUB 8.8 billion in may 2009 (€202 million), and again RUB 4.12 billion on February 1, 2010 (€99bn).
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benefits don’t drive to registration. In addition, according to the Federation, 1.2 million people work less via forced holidays or shorter working hours, not mentioning wage cuts, the depreciation of the rouble, inflation… and unpaid wages: RUB 8.8 billion in may 2009 (€202 million), and again RUB 4.12 billion on February 1, 2010 (€99bn).

Banking, construction, metalworking, the auto and the oil industry were greatly affected. The regions most badly hit include Caucasia (57% unemployment rate i

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