British Supermarket Chain To Increase Jobs in ’09

Asda, a British supermarket chain owned by Wal-Mart and broadcaster BskyB, promised to create 8,000 new jobs in 2009.

This comes at a time when Britain has just suffered its worst single day of job losses since the recession began.

BskyB, a satellite broadcaster partly owned by News Corp. says it will increase jobs by 1,000 with its new high-definition television service.

Asda, on the other hand, will open up 14 new stores, and expand 15 existing ones. This will be the source of 3,000 new jobs.

The company claims they will be looking to hire those who have been out of work for six months or more to fill the vacancies. The supermarket chain is one of the first employers in the UK to take advantage of a new government program to help the long-term jobless.

In 2008, the British government promised almost $2 billion to aid programs which are slated to help 250,000 people return to work.

Economists are expecting unemployment to exceed three million by 2010.

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