The situation on the labour market can be monitored via information on the scale and rates of redundancies. As the restructuring of the national economy has not been coordinated at a federal level and the Centre has proved incapable of monitoring the situation on the federal and local labour markets, the redundancy process has become chaotic. Existing statistics and official forms of monitoring changes on the labour market record events which have already happened. To ensure preemptive actions, we need special sources of information, which could be used to determine the specifics of redundancies at different enterprises and persisting trends, which are characteristics of all enterprises. This source is also needed to determine the scale of latent unemployment.

Information Network and Methods

Initial information on these issues should be accumulated at enterprises. The creation of a data bank from initial information received directly from enterprises will increase its effectiveness considerably and enable us to choose the required set of indices depending on the tasks before us, so that the redundancy specifics can be studied in detail. Proceeding from the specific features of Nizhni Novgorod Oblast, we singled out typical features of regional enterprises and suggested a way of dividing them into classes depending on their characteristics. A choice (of 68 enterprises) and forms elaborated specially for the purpose formed the basis for a regular information network used to assess the redundancy proceses in the region.

This information network can be used to analyse employment and other issues, in particular, to assess the conversion of social infrastructure, the transformation of state enterprises into joint stock companies, etc. The collection of information and its accumulation can be monitored by public organisations, incorporating enterprise directors. This information shall be used to assess the general economic situation in the region, forecast developments (above all on the labour market), and choose effective actions for local authorities and enterprise boards. Initial inforation shall be provided to the regional employment service in a bid to specify redundancy forecasts and draft employment programmes. The results will be used to specify the tactics and strategic steps to be implemented by the regional employment service.

Constant interaction with the population represents a special sphere of operations of the local authorities and especially the Employment Centre. Psychologically, the people are not attuned to the idea of unemployent, which thereby intensifies its chaotic nature and creates social tensions. We need guidelines.

Such guidelines are proposed in a series of booklets for the people. The first issue is called, "Are You Looking for a Job? We'll Help You", and includes the main federal and local laws on employment and information about the regional employment service. According to the plan, the next issues will be devoted to the employment of young people and women, information about the system of professional training of discharged staff and the idle population.