San Sebastián (EFE).- Euskadi reduces unemployment to 2008 levels with 109,192 unemployed in March. Unemployment registered in March in the Basque Country fell by 3,104 people, 2.76% compared to the previous month. This places the total number of registered in Landibe below 110,000 people for the first time since December 2008, specifically, at 109,192.
historical maximum
This data occurs just ten years after the all-time high of registered unemployed in the Basque Country, 179,341, in March 2013, as reported by the Basque Government in a statement.
The Vice-Hendakari and Minister of Labor and Employment, Idoia Mendia, highlighted that March closed with a “historic record” as the number of unemployed fell below 110,000, which represents a level of unemployment prior to the financial crisis of 2008.
The Minister did not want to forget, however, that in Euskadi there are still 109,192 people seeking employment. She has also highlighted that Social Security affiliation has registered a “greater growth than ever in March” by gaining 6,506 affiliates, 0.66% more than in February and 1.41% more than a year ago.
He pointed out that since the entry into force of the labor reform, permanent contracts have grown 8 points in the Basque Country. Thus, there are 67,200 more people than a year ago with permanent contracts. Of these, more than 52,600 previously had temporary contracts, which now “have been transformed into stable employment relationships.”
biggest ballasts
In addition, the rate of those who work full-time has risen by 3.6% and a downward trend has been “consolidated” among the long-term unemployed -one of the “biggest burdens” on the labor market in the Basque Country- since in a year has fallen by 8.5%.
According to the data provided this Tuesday by the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy, in the Basque Country there are 7,893 fewer unemployed than in March 2022, with a year-on-year decrease of 6.74%.
By territories, Gipuzkoa is the one that registered the best performance. In this province, unemployment fell by 4.07%, with 1,207 fewer unemployed than in February, which places it with 28,430 unemployed.
In Bizkaia, the decrease was 2.53%, with 1,594 fewer people on the Lanbide lists, where there are 61,396 registered from this territory.
In Álava the decrease has been 1.54%, which gives a decrease of 303 people, with a total of 19,366 currently unemployed.
Unemployment in the Basque Country continues to affect women more -with 62,995 (1,770 less than in February) unemployed- than men, who are 46,197, a total of 1,334 less than last month.
by ages
By age, unemployment among those under 25 years of age decreased by 54 young people, to 8,954.
The Services sector was the one that registered the greatest reduction in the number of unemployed in the Basque Country in March (2,861 less compared to February). Industry (478 less) and Agriculture (52 less) follow.
On the contrary, unemployment rose in the Previously Unemployed segment with 285 more unemployed and in Construction with 2 more.
In Spain as a whole, Social Security gained an average of 206,410 affiliates in March, the largest increase for this month in the entire historical series. Unemployment has fallen by 48,755 people to 2.86 million, the lowest figure for a March since 2008.
Easter
The Ministry of Labor highlights that the drop in unemployment in March, a month in which hiring begins to be activated for Easter and the strongest months of the tourist season, is “especially positive” in an economic context of uncertainty.
The CCOO and UGT unions have valued “the positive effects” of the labor reform in Euskadi after the drop in unemployment registered last March. ELA has highlighted from the latest data “the precariousness of new hires and the lack of protection for unemployed people”. LAB has stressed that unemployment decreases in the service sector, “where job insecurity is higher”. EFE