The Council of Trade Unions says the Government should create special programmes for areas of high Maori unemployment.
The latest employment statistics shows the number of Maori out of work jumped over the past year from 9.6% to 14.2%, compared with a rise in Pakeha unemployment from 3.1% to 4.1%.
CTU secretary Peter Conway told Waatea News there are simple things the Government can do to target assistance to out of work Maori and to areas of high Maori unemployment such as Northland and the East Coast.
Mr Conway says the high Maori rate is affected by the relative youth of the Maori population and by the effect of the recession on sectors such as manufacturing and construction.
