Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2 Apr. (Press Europa) –
The president of the Official Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Services and Navigation of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Santiago Sesé, remarked on Wednesday that employment statistics demonstrate “stability”, and he advocated for measures that cater to “the individuals of each sector and size of the businesses.”
“If initiatives such as the reduction of the working day are implemented without considering this reality, it may hinder hiring rather than promote it,” he stated.
Santiago Sesé expressed this following the release of unemployment figures for March, during which he highlighted that “one of the most significant challenges facing the Canary Islands is the labour factor, particularly due to the difficulties companies encounter in finding staff.”
“In the archipelago, we must ensure that the supply of labour aligns with demand,” explained Sesé, who further noted that “for this reason, it is crucial that labour regulation adapts to reality and that active employment policies are updated.”
He emphasised that the Chamber of Commerce is extending its hand to public institutions in order to strengthen the employment that “has been established in recent years and prevent the disappearance of small and medium enterprises.”
He reminded that the challenge of finding staff remains one of the primary concerns for the business landscape in the Canary Islands, despite the number of unemployed individuals amounting to 157,428.
“This contradiction illustrates the imbalance between supply and demand, a situation we must address from various angles, including through training that enables reintegration of groups such as young people and those over 45,” he added.
The statistics
According to Santiago Sesé, the labour market figures for March indicate stability, particularly when assessing the number of registered unemployed individuals, which saw a monthly decline of 0.3%, equating to 423 fewer unemployed compared to February.
He also noted that on an annual basis, unemployment has decreased by 4.6%, bringing the number of individuals registered at public employment offices to 157,428.
President Santiago Sesé emphasised that, as compared to March 2024, there was a reduction across all sectors, with agriculture and fishing experiencing the largest relative decrease of (-18.3%), followed by construction (-10.9%), the “without previous employment” category (-9.7%), industry (-7.1%), and finally, services (-2.9%).
The most significant monthly decline in unemployment was observed in “health and social services”, which saw a decrease of 282 unemployed individuals, followed by “construction” with a drop of 256, and “wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles” with a decrease of 144.
Conversely, the sectors of “Public Administration and Defence; Mandatory Social Security” and “Hospitality” experienced the largest increases in unemployment, with 451 and 113 more unemployed, respectively.
The female unemployment rate fell by 3.9% year-on-year, while the male rate declined by 5.6% over the same period. Furthermore, annual figures reveal a reduction of 4.5% among those over 25 and 5.9% among those under 25.
The average number of social security affiliates in the Canary Islands rose in March by 3,149 employed individuals (0.3%) compared to the previous month, totaling 937,245 people, which is 30,991 more than a year ago (3.4%).
By various regimes, it is worth noting that the average number of affiliates to the general regime grew by 0.3% over the month, with the annual rate rising by 3.9%. Self-employed individuals also experienced a monthly increase of 0.3% and a yearly rise of 2.4%.
