Unemployment is reduced by 24,000 people, but membership falls in the hospitality industry

The Spanish labor market continues to advance and the engine does not stop, although it is true that it moderates the pace. The month of November, traditionally bad, has closed with good news, with 24,573 fewer unemployed, and a not so good one, the loss of 11,583 jobs, particularly affected by the bad behavior of the hospitality industry.

In terms of unemployment, the reduction of more than 24,000 people represents the second largest fall in a month of November, if the pandemic years are excluded, and brings the number of unemployed to a total of 2,734. 831 people, the lowest figure this month since 2007. If analyzed by sector, unemployment has been reduced in all economic sectors, with a particular incidence in services (17,335 people), and at a much greater distance, in industry, agriculture and construction. By gender, the decrease in female unemployment stands out, with 15,900 fewer unemployed, a figure that doubles the decrease in male unemployment.

When she heard the data, the Vice-President and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, stated that “unemployment drops by more than 24,000 people in a month in which unemployment traditionally increases. Singularly, unemployment among women and young people is decreasing”, and then calling on autonomous communities and employers “to hire women”.

In terms of membership, November closed with 11,583 fewer jobs. It represents a worse result than last year, when membership stagnated, and also than the previous two, when it even increased, but we had the post-pandemic effect. On the other hand, if it is compared with the stage before the covid crisis, the result is more favorable. The fall this November is much lower. Between 2016 and 2019, an average of 36,000 affiliates were lost in November.

If it is examined by sector, the main cause of the month’s negative balance appears in average membership. The hospitality industry, with a drop of 115,000 members, is decisive. A sample of how the summer season is getting longer and in 2023 the bill passes in November. A fall that cannot be compensated by two sectors that have acted upwards. The most prominent is education, which adds 38,000 new jobs. The teachers dismissed in the three months of summer are readmitted in the three months of autumn, this time with an extra important plus, but it remains a clear indication that seasonality in education is still in force. The trade sector is also performing well, with 23,000 more affiliates.

With this variation, the total number of affiliates exceeds 20.8 million, which is the highest number in a month of November in the entire historical series.

If we look at these data, the Spanish Government is optimistic. “We will see how December evolves, but the signs of the evolution of the labor market these last few weeks are really positive, the prospects are good for December”, stated the Secretary of State for Social Security, Borja Suárez.

For its part, the CEOE showed concern about the slowdown in the labor market. The employer recognized that November is usually a traditionally bad month for employment, but added that “job creation seems to be slowing down, which should be observed with concern, since, despite that we are in historical figures in the month of November, we continue to practically double the European unemployment rate”. Meanwhile, the general secretary of CC.OO., Unai Sordo, warned against “self-indulgent readings” of good data in a month of November when unemployment usually increases and this year it has decreased.

In the case of Catalonia, November closed with the loss of 1,316 jobs, reaching 3,713,356 members; while with regard to unemployment, it stagnated. There are 214 more unemployed, for a total of 339,907 unemployed. Of this number, 195,119 are women, and 144,788 are men, while the younger than 25-year-old group counts 20,948 unemployed.