Registered unemployment drops 6.6% in annual terms in Catalonia but grows 0.6% on last month

At the end of August there were 571,616 people registered as unemployed in Catalonia, which represents 40,042 fewer job-seekers than the previous year, a 6.55% reduction, according to figures released on Tuesday by the Spanish Ministry of Employment and Social Security. This is the 14th consecutive month registering unemployment drops in annual terms. However, coinciding with the end of the summer holiday's peak, the number of job-seekers increased in monthly terms. At the end of August there were 3,385 more unemployed people than at the end of July, which represents a 0.6% growth. In the whole of Spain registered unemployment increased by 8,070 individuals, reaching 4,427,930 people. At the same time, the affiliation to Social Security has decreased for the first time in 6 months, dropping by 97,582 people.

A branch of the Catalan Public Employment Service in August (by H. Lins)
A branch of the Catalan Public Employment Service in August (by H. Lins) / ACN

ACN

September 2, 2014 08:16 PM

Barcelona (ACN).- At the end of August there were 571,616 people registered as unemployed in Catalonia, which represents 40,042 fewer job-seekers than the previous year, a 6.55% reduction, according to figures released on Tuesday by the Spanish Ministry of Employment and Social Security. This the 14th consecutive month registering unemployment drops in annual terms. Now, registered unemployment levels are similar to those from December 2010. However, coinciding with the end of the summer holiday's peak, the number of job-seekers increased in monthly terms. At the end of August there were 3,385 more unemployed people than at the end of July, which represents a 0.6% growth. In the whole of Spain registered unemployment increased by 8,070 individuals, reaching 4,427,930 people at the end of August. At the same time, the affiliation to Social Security has decreased for the first time in 6 months, dropping by 97,582 people. At the end of August there were 16,649,521 workers contributing to Spain's Social Security scheme. Despite the rise in monthly terms, unemployment dropped by 270,853 people compared to August 2013. This represents a 5.76% decrease in annual terms. The Catalan Deputy Minister for Employment, Joan Aregio, welcomed the annual figures, which show "the consolidation of a change of trend". At the same time, he considered August's monthly drop as "normal", due to seasonal work.


According to the figures released by the Spanish Ministry on Tuesday, unemployment decreased by 3.12% in monthly terms within Spain's agricultural sector, with 6,894 fewer jobseekers. However it increased in the rest of economic activities. In the industrial sector, it grew by 1.27% on July figures, with 5,780 on the unemployment lists. In addition, there was a 0.03% increase in the number of jobseekers within the construction sector, with 162 more people unemployed than a month ago. Finally, there was a 0.54% growth in the services sector, with 15,161 more jobseekers. The unemployment registered among those who did not have a job dropped by 1.60%, with 6,139 jobseekers.

The number of Catalans contributing to the Social Security scheme drops

At the end of August there were 32,605 fewer people registered in Catalonia with the Social Security scheme than those on the lists in July. In total, there were 2,966,494 Catalan workers that contributed to the Social Security system.