In December 2009 employment in the corporate sector was by 1.8% lower than in December 2008. Average wages were higher by 6.5% year on year. In the 12 months to the end of December wages were higher by 4.4%.
In 2009 average employment in the corporate sector was lower than a year before by 1.2%, mainly due to a drop in the manufacturing industry. The registered unemployment rate was growing gradually to reach 11.9% in December 2009. This represented a rise of 2.4 pct. points year on year. The share of graduates and young people among the unemployed increased while the share of long-term unemployed and people without qualifications dropped. After a high increase in previous years, in 2009 the nominal increase in average gross monthly wages in the national economy was slower than a year before, with a faster growth recorded in the public than in private sector. As growth in nominal wages weakened considerably, the purchasing power of average monthly wages in the corporate sector was only slightly higher than in 2008 – by 1.1% versus 6.1%. Growth in real old-age and disability pensions in both systems was faster than in 2008. The increase in average pensions was higher than in wages in the corporate sector. (GUS, “Report on the Country’s Socio-Economic Situation,” January 28, 2010, p. 5; www.stat.gov.pl)

Seasonal increase in unemployment in December 2009

At the end of December 2009 the number of unemployed registered in labour offices amounted to 1,892,700 and was by 4.5%, or 81,600, higher than a month before and by 28.4%, or 418,900, higher than a year before. The registered unemployment rate was 11.9%, up by 0.5 pct. points compared to November 2009 and by 2.4 pct. points compared to December 2008. Compared to December 2008, the unemployment rate rose in all provinces, with the highest increases noted in Pomorskie province (by 3.6 pct. points), Warmińsko-Mazurskie and Lubuskie provinces (by 3.4 pct. points each) and Zachodniopomorskie province (by 3.2 pct. points), and the lowest increase in Świętokrzyskie province (by 1.0 pct points). In December 2009, the highest unemployment rate was in Warmińsko-Mazurskie province (20.2%). Unemployment was also high in Zachodniopomorskie, Lubuskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie and Podkarpackie provinces - 15.5-16.5%. The lowest unemployment rates were in Mazowieckie province (9.0%), Wielkopolskie province (9.1%), Śląskie province (9.2%) and Małopolskie province (9.7%) (GUS, “Report on the Country’s Socio-Economic Situation,” January 28, 2010, p. 21; www.stat.gov.pl)

Gdańsk Institute for Market Economics (IBnGR) projects that, after a temporary increase in 2010, unemployment will start going down in 2011.

The labour market was not affected by last year’s economic slowdown as much as pessimists had predicted, although the situation deteriorated markedly. One may expect that in 2010 the unemployment rate will grow further, but the increase will be smaller than in the previous year. The IBnGR projects that the unemployment rate will reach 12.9% at the end of December this year. The favourable results of a faster economic growth should become visible on the labour market in 2011 and unemployment should fall to 10.5% by the end of the year. Since the second quarter of 2010 employment should also start growing again. The IBnGR projects that the increase should reach 0.6% at the end of 2010 and 1.5% at the end of 2011. An improvement in economic conditions should also be conducive to a rise in wages. The IBnGR projects that real wages will grow by 3.3% in 2010 and 4.5% in 2011. (IBnGR report assessing economic conditions in Poland in the 4th quarter of 2009 and presenting projections for 2010-2011, January 2010, p.4; www.ibngr.edu.pl)