The labor market records in December reflect a relatively negative behavior. The number of affiliated with Social Security in December, although it decreased to a lesser extent than November, fell by 447 people, a decrease of 0,85%.
The seasonally adjusted series of affiliates also reflects a decrease in affiliation in December and the year-on-year variation stood at -2,74%, which in terms of persons represents a drop of 1.472 affiliates to Social Security in the last 12 months . The total number of affiliates thus stands at 52.232 people. And if we compare with the month of February, where we place the start of the covid-19 crisis, we have a fall of 1.479 people in these ten months.
The General Regime, where the majority of employed persons contribute, lost 237 affiliates and added a total of 32.984 taxpayers in December, 4,95% less than a year before and 0,71% less than in November of this year . Membership in the Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers (RETA) -self-employed-, increased again this December with respect to the same month of the previous year, + 2,00% and remained almost stable in the monthly rate (-0,87% ), until reaching 16.966 affiliates.
Regarding the number of unemployed in the Marina Alta During the month of December, there has been an increase of 93 people, reaching a total of 13.903 unemployed, the highest figure in the last 4 years. This represents, in relative terms, the worst December since 2011. When we compare it with the Decembers of In previous years, we highlight that it is the worst relative data in the historical series of the last decade. This annual growth to 13.903 unemployed represents an increase in interannual terms of 3.067 unemployed people, +28,30%.
The percentage increases in the last year have been a little more intense in the case of women. In both population groups, there are increases in unemployment, an increase of 28,58% in women and 27,96% in men, compared to December 2019. Unemployment has grown more among women than among men , the situation of the month of November is maintained, and in this last month of the year, the number of women unemployed workers is higher (7.725 unemployed, 55,56%) than men (6.178 unemployed, 44,44%).
Throughout 2020, unemployment has been less pronounced in the agriculture and industry sectors, these sectors register 236 unemployed and 603 unemployed, with an increase of 24 and 86 unemployed respectively in relation to December 2019. On the contrary, the most affected, construction and services increased unemployment this year by 28,97% and 20,22% respectively or what is the same, 361 and 1800 unemployed more than in December of last year.
By calculating the unemployment rate in the Marina Alta, it is observed that it is maintained with respect to November, reaching an estimated unemployment rate of 20,94%.
Again, as in previous analyzes of the labor market, the evolution of the total number of ERTE must be known, another of the data that is relevant to assess the evolution of the labor market. The year closed with 35 new temporary employment regulation files in force in the Marina Alta, which represents an increase of approximately 130 affected workers (there are around 3.150 ERTE requested accumulated since the start of the pandemic that has affected around of 13.325 affiliates). As expected, the great weight of concessions remains in the activities of the service sector, specifically in the activity of restaurants and food stalls (on 22% of companies with around 3.235 affected affiliates), drinking establishments ( over 10% and around 1.050 affected affiliates), hairdressers and other beauty treatments (over 5% with around 325 affected workers), maintenance and repair of motor vehicles (over 3% and around 360 affected workers) , among others.
In terms of contracts, as a variable that informs us about the dynamism that the labor market is showing, we find that in the month of December the negative trend in terms of number of contracts is maintained with respect to the same period of the previous year. Thus, we have a global drop of 11,8% in hiring (305 contracts less than in December 2019). By modality, we have that permanent hiring has been reduced by 8,33%, while in the case of temporary hiring the reduction compared to December 2019 has been 14,22%. It is true that in previous months more pronounced percentage drops have been achieved, but we are still quite a long way from speaking of a “normal” year in terms of hiring.
Very simple, if the only jobs that are considered in this area have to do with tourism and the tourist campaign has been cut by the Pandemic, because there is no work. We would have to learn something from this situation but I am afraid we will not. Furthermore, I have long suspected that economic development beyond tourism is of no interest. For this reason, no company or sector that does not involve tourism or construction for tourists is promoted or supported. It is interesting to keep the area as it is so that tourism, second homes, construction to launder money, etc. cheap for foreign pockets.