The two measures of employment - the Labour Force Survey and social security registrations - both indicate that some 20% of all jobs in Mallorca and the Balearics last year were in hospitality, the largest employment sector ahead of retail and construction.
The methodologies differ, but the figures are roughly the same - 122,000 and 113,000 jobs; the 20% relates to the annual average of total employment and exceeds a previous historical maximum set in 2018. In both cases there were percentage increases compared with 2022 - 16% in the case of the Labour Force Survey and seven per cent for social security. In terms of job categories, around 70% were for waiters/waitresses, cleaning staff and kitchen workers.
The highest monthly number of new employment contracts was in May, which will be the same this year but not without problems. Alfonso Robledo, president of the CAEB Restaurants Association, says that problems with hiring will be greater this year because of the ever increasing cost of accommodation.
There is a smaller pool of seasonal workers from mainland Spain. Deterred by high rents and indeed difficulties with finding accommodation, they are preferring to work the season on the mainland, where costs are lower even if pay is also lower - the Balearics, in general, offer higher salaries than anywhere else in the country. With Spain as a whole anticipating a record year in terms of tourist numbers, there is unlikely to be a shortage of employment opportunities on the mainland.
Robledo says that the early Easter this year has been a contributory factor. "Easter fell in April last year, so it was possible to maintain staff until the beginning of summer (taken as being from first of May), but this year many businesses have not been able to last that long."
This said, there was only a difference of one week, and the Mallorca Hoteliers Federation reckons that the early Easter was not a factor. Nevertheless, the federation argues the case for focusing more on local workers, given the issues with accommodation.
The unions fear that staff shortages will again lead to excessive workloads. Silvia Montejano of the CCOO says: "The increase in workloads is leading to more accidents and more sick leave, especially in high summer. This is something that happens every season but is now being aggravated by the labour deficit."
The CCOO is meanwhile highly critical of the Balearic government's decision not to reinforce the employment inspectorate with inspectors from the mainland, as was done under the previous government. The union has accused the government of "favouring labour abuses".
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Low pay and long hours - and they wonder why they can't get the staff!
I think the British people who used to come to work here in the whole season. Can no longer work for 6 months. Hoteliers and Bar/ Restaurant owners ,will not give 90 day contracts. Until this ruling is scrapped.