Denmark – Government cuts nearly 1,000 workers

Not since 1920 have so many state employees been fired

Finance minister Bjarne Corydon (Socialdemokraterne) says the pain is not over (Photo:Scanpix)

At a time when the prime minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt (Socialdemokraterne), has said that stemming the rising tide of unemployment is at the top of her agenda, her government has now fired more state employees then any Danish government over the past 90 years.

Every ministry has been directed to cut costs by five percent, resulting in the loss of 956 jobs, with some ministries losing more than 100 employees.

Such a large reduction in the numbers of government employees has not been seen in Denmark since 1920, when the then-prime minister, Thomas Madsen-Mygdal (Schmidt), initiated tough social austerity policies in the wake of the First World War.

Thorning-Schmidt said that the layoffs were regrettable but necessary.

“We have had to tighten certain ministries, agencies and state institutions, and it cost us some people,” she told Politiken newspaper. “I can understand why people are angry and I am sorry, but our job is to balance the budget.”…

via Government cuts nearly 1,000 workers | The Copenhagen Post | The Danish News in English.