THE number of unemployed people registered with the SOIB (the Balearic Employment Service) at the end of August was 30'900.
This is an increase of nine percent in comparison with July, the highest in the whole of Spain and the highest figure on the islands for at least the last 11 years, according to data published by the Spanish Ministry for Work and Social Affairs.
In parallel with this, in August the islands had an interannual increase of 2.35 percent in the number of workers registering to pay Social Security contributions.
This brings the number of employed people to 500'428, a figure which is a new employment record for the month of August on the islands.
The director general of the Balearic Government's Work department, Pere Aguilo, said that the month of August had confirmed the trend of rising unemployment started in July, which is greatly due to the shutting down of the activity in the construction industry, which in turn can be attributed to the completion of the large public projects started by the previous Balearic Government, to the restrictions applied by the coastal councils during the high season and to fraudulent practices by some companies who dismiss their workers for the Summer and then re-hire them in Autumn.
With regard to the interannual comparison, Aguilo admitted that the increase in unemployment is higher in the services sector, although he did say that, at the same time, this sector is the one which brings the greatest number of new jobs to the economy.
The director general added that given the service sector's role in the economy, any stoppage in its activity has great repercussions.
With regard to this, Alguilo confirmed that the tourist season is going well on the islands and is good but not exceptional.
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