Unemployment fell by 7.35% in July in the Balearic Islands, and membership increased by 2.48%.

PalmUnemployment registered with public employment service offices rose by 664 in July in the Balearic Islands compared to the previous month (+2.7%) to 25,386 unemployed, although year-on-year unemployment in the region fell by 7.35% (2,013 fewer unemployed), according to published data.

This total number of unemployed is the lowest figure for a month of July since 2002. Since the beginning of the comparable historical series in 1996, unemployment has fallen in July most of the time in the Balearic Islands (17 times), while it has risen on 13 occasions, with the increase in the last month being.

In July, 42,495 contracts were registered in the Balearic Islands, 8.1% less than the same month last year. Of these, 29,182 were permanent contracts, 8.2% lower than in July of the previous year, and 13,313 were temporary contracts (8.1% less).

Social Security added an average of 12,579 contributors in July compared to the previous month (+1.91%), according to data published this Monday by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration.

According to the same data, compared to the same month last year, the Archipelago has gained 16,203 contributors, an increase of 2.48%, reaching 670,560 contributors.

If instead of the average affiliation, we look at the data for the last day of the month, the Balearic Islands closed July with 668,928 contributors.

"Vicious circle"

For its part, the CCOO believes it is urgent for the Balearic Islands to break the "vicious cycle" of more social security registrations, less unemployment, and the resulting worse living conditions. "This July's figures are typical for July: maximum numbers of people registered with social security and minimum unemployment, a result of the seasonality of our economic model based on the tourism sector," they noted. "What should be good news isn't, because these good figures don't translate into well-being for working people," they emphasize.

According to them, this economic activity based on sun and sand as the "star product" is what has been produced "for 50 years, but with a clear difference." Today, "twice as many visitors are needed, and prices that only they can afford, because wages are not in line with that cost of living."

"Each day poorer"

This Monday, the UGT (General Union of Workers' Unions) lamented that the new occupancy record achieved in July has not prevented Balearic society from becoming "poorer every day" due to the price of housing. UGT Secretary General Pedro Homar described these figures as "positive," although he emphasized that unemployment rose by 2.7% compared to June and that the hiring process last month was "all temporary," which may indicate that the "peak of permanent employment" in the tourism sector is being reached.

"Warnings"

The president of the Confederation of Business Associations of the Balearic Islands (CAEB), Carmen Planas, emphasized that in terms of occupancy, "the high season continues to show great strength," but said that the drop (-8%) in the number of contracts signed last month (almost 4,000 fewer than a year ago) "reflects the restorations" in tourism, among other factors. Furthermore, Planas points to the increase in inflation, which stood at 2.7% in July, as a sign of "concern for the business community."