Government rushes legislative agenda against unemployment

SANTIAGO.- President Michelle Bachelet has decided to give the "utmost urgency" to the bill designed to improve unemployment insurance that is currently being processed in Parliament. Her aim is to have it approved in January of 2009 and has announced that an initiative regarding a subsidy for labor hiring will be presented next week so that it can become effective beginning in March.

While accepting the idea proposed by the senator and president of the Radical Party, José Antonio Gómez, the President has decided that Congress shall meet if February if the bills addressing unemployment are not approved within the time limits established by the government.

According to an explanation given by government spokesperson Francisco Vidal, the objective "is to hopefully have it ready by March".

"Now, if it is necessary for the President to summon Parliament for a few days in February then that is what will happen because the priority is to have the laws ready so that we can combat the crisis that is upon us, which is becoming evident in unemployment figures", warned Vidal, who acknowledged that there are sectors, such as construction, that are being affected by decreases in demand.