oecdeconomic outlook 67精选.pdf

VII. RECENT LABOUR-MARKET PERFORMANCE AND STRUCTURAL REFORMS The past three years have been marked by favourable conditions in labour mar- Conditions in labour markets kets in most Member countries. In the United States, employment has continued to of most Member countries have expand at a fast rate, and the unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level for a been favourable in recent years generation with only a modest rise in underlying inflation so far. In many European countries, job creation has been progressing at its fastest pace since the late-1980s boom. Canada and Australia have also recorded robust employment gains and falling unemployment rates. The most notable exception to these favourable developments is Japan, where the recession has driven joblessness to historical highs. The improv- ing macroeconomic environment has been a major factor behind these developments, but structural reforms that have been implemented during the past decade have made an important contribution to better labour market performance. The first part of this chapter briefly reviews recent developments in labour markets in OECD countries, and the second part surveys structural reforms that have influenced them. Labour market trends since 1997 With the exceptions of Japan and Korea, the aggregate unemployment rate has Unemployment rates have declined notably in most OECD countries since 1997 (Table VII.1). In the United fallen in most OECD countries States, joblessness had already fallen strongly by 1997 as the economy recovered in the past few years… from the 1990-91 recession, but continued declines have taken the unemployment rate to its lowest rate since the 1960s. By contrast, the unemployment rate in the European Union (EU) started falling only in 1997. Although the unemployment rate has come down b