Unemployment fell by only 2,921 people in March, marked by an invasion and transport strike in Ukraine.

Employment rose in March and unemployment fell (albeit shyly) in a month marked by the Ukraine war and strikes in the transport sector. The labor market added an average of 140,232 workers to social protection, a similar figure to previous years, while the number of unemployed fell very little to its usual level in March: only 2,921 people. Under seasonally adjusted conditions, employment was added to approximately 24,000 affiliated employees, but unemployment rose to 25,682 people.

The figures released by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security this Monday leave a total of 19,834,504 affiliated workers and unemployment with almost changes, 3,108,763 people registered at SEPE offices. Among the most visible data is also the progressive growth of permanent contracts after the approval of the labor reform, which reached a record 30% of the contracts signed in March.

The Ministry of Social Security, led by Jose Luis Eskriva, highlights the “different stages” of employment growth in March. According to him, “in the first half of the month, there was a strong growth, which is higher than the average of previous years in most sectors.”

Later, starting at 11 and especially at 14, the “coincidence of various strikes” in activities such as transport “was a slight slowdown in some sectors (transport, manufacturing or construction), which showed a slower growth rate than usual. Register in March” .

Finally, “the last week of the month marked the recovery process in these sectors and, at the same time, in employment as a whole, until behavior similar to previous years of the pandemic is restored,” he said. The ministry, which leaves the average number of subsidiary branches similar to other years, with about 140,000 more branches.

If we look at what happened last year, there is the creation of intensive jobs: almost a million workers have joined the labor market, with an average of 913,602 people connected to social security. It should be noted that the annual growth rate of employment accelerated to 4.8% in March, compared to 4.5% in the previous month.

A modest drop in unemployment

Unemployment data, on the other hand, are less favorable for March, which boosts employment in good weather and sometimes (not this year) with Easter. This can be seen if we look at the figures of previous years and the decline in unemployment that was happening. As well as the behavior of certain sectors such as industry.

The decrease in registered unemployment by 2921 people (-0.09% monthly decrease) this March is quite far from the decrease of 59149 (-1.48%) last year, to 33956 people (-1.03%) in 2019, 47697 (-1.37%). ) In 2018 and 48,559 (-1.29%) in 2017, for example.

According to economic sectors, unemployment in services decreased by 18,090 people (-0.82%) in March and increased by 6,764 people (2.71%) in the group without previous employment; In construction, 5664 people (2.33%); In agriculture by 1568 people (1.01%) and in industry where unemployment increased by 1173 people (0.46%). From these data, the industry stands out first and foremost, the sector affected by the energy price crisis, supply and carrier strikes, where unemployment has risen in the one-month period when it normally declines.

By gender, female unemployment decreased by 9,219 women (-0.50%) to a total of 1,831,428 registered unemployed, while male unemployment increased by 6,298 people (0.50%) and 1,277,335 registered unemployed.

If we look at how the decline in unemployment has developed over the past twelve months, considering the previous twelve months, we will notice that the rate we have been accumulating in the previous months has slowed down in March. Unemployment fell by 840,877 during this period, down 21.3%. The annual decline in February was 22.4% ten months after the decline in unemployment accelerated.

Record of indefinite contracts

Another highlight of the month was the increase in permanent contracts, which continued to increase after the approval of the labor reform. The total number of contracts registered in March increased to 1,671,841, almost 20% more than in the same month last year, and “the indefinite contract recorded 513,677 contracts, which is an absolute record for any month in the historical series, representing all 30.73%. Contracts “, emphasizes the Ministry of Labor, directed by Yolanda Dias. “Since December, the percentage of unspecified contracts has tripled to the total number of contracts,” he added.

An increase in indefinite contracts is also observed in the number of affiliated workers with this type of more stable employment relationship. In March, 75% of the subsidiaries had indefinite contracts, ”which is 5 points more than usual before the pandemic, and 25% is temporary. In previous years of the pandemic, this distribution was 70% permanent, compared to 30% temporary, “- collected the Ministry of Social Protection.

“This increase in indefinite contracts is accelerating the fiscal year 2022 and is widespread in all sectors,” said José Luis Eskriva’s department, which also highlighted the most dangerous temporary employment cuts that have barely lasted several days. Thus, overnight contracts were reduced by “more than 17 points, which increased from 30% to 13% of one-month contracts in the previous years of the pandemic.”

Contracts lasting 2 to 7 days were also reduced, from “30% of monthly contracts to 17.3%”.

Another sign of employment stability, they point out from social security, goes through the greater survival of contracts: while in previous years only 11.7% from the beginning of the year was still in force in March, “now this percentage is reaching. 50.2% ”. Only more than half out of ten.