Economy

Balearics September unemployment rise the highest in Spain

Social security registrations fell and unemployment rose in September. | Pere Bota

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma02/10/2020 11:56

The latest unemployment figures from the national ministry of employment indicate that September unemployment in the Balearics was 77,112. Compared with August, there were 3,359 more people unemployed, a rise of 4.6%, while the comparison with September last year shows a 91% increase - 36,735 more unemployed.

The number of people registered with social security was down by 74,712 compared with last year. This was the highest year-on-year fall in the country. The fall in social security registrations was despite there having been 64,501 workers on ERTE terms. The average registration during the month was 500,077. This was 2.6% lower than in August (13,255 people).

The rise in monthly unemployment places the Balearics at the top of an unwelcome list, as the increase in absolute terms outstrips increases in other regions.

By contrast with the Balearics, unemployment nationally fell by 26,329. Since 1996, which was when the current series of unemployment statistics began, this was the largest decrease for a September and took the unemployment total to 3,776,485. In the services sector, there were 13,367 fewer unemployed.

Unemployment fell in thirteen regions, with Castile-La Mancha having registered the best figure - down 7,687. As well as the Balearics, unemployment rose - by comparison with August - in Asturias (708 more unemployed), Extremadura (590) and Cantabria (500). The Balearics figure of 3,359 was therefore far higher than these three other regions. There were only two regions where social security registration dropped - the Balearics (down 2.6%) and Cantabria (minus 1.6%).