Unionist legislators have called for the Government to spend up to an extra $60 billion in the next financial year to create 60,000 new jobs.
In a pre-budget meeting with Financial Secretary Antony Leung Kam-chung last night, the unionists also urged a substantial reduction in the $430 billion reserves.
The spending level called for was much higher than a Democratic Party proposal on Thursday which urged the Government to spend an extra $60 billion over the next five years.
Speaking after the meeting, Lau Chin-shek of the Confederation of Trade Unions said by reducing the reserves to the equivalent of nine to six months of government spending, at least $200 billion could be freed up for other projects.
At present, the reserves are set to an equivalent of 20.4 months of government spending.
The unionists want the extra funds spent on a $10 billion employment training fund, a scheme to help communities 'marginalised' by the economic downturn, and environmental and public building projects.
