Unemployment in Xàbia “slows down” as the town records 2,092 out of work

Monday 29th March 2021 | ALVARO MONFORT; translation MIKE SMITH

The State Public Employment Service (SEPE) has been a little later than normal in publishing unemployment data for last month. Thus, in the month of February, Xàbia registered 2,092 unemployed, 43 more than in January. Although the data seems a bit dated now (with April coming), it is convenient to take it into account in order, together with other indicators, to be able to understand the evolution of the economic situation in the municipality and carry out a monthly comparison.

The rise between January and February does not seem so alarming if one takes into account that, until now, the average monthly growth of unemployment in Xàbia has been around a hundred people. It is striking that this slowdown has occurred in a month in which the Services sector was practically paralyzed as a result of the health restrictions imposed by the Generalitat Valenciana.

This could be due to different reasons. On the one hand, the current number of unemployed is much higher than it would normally be in Xàbia in the middle of the low season (last February 1,553 people were unemployed, just before the pandemic struck) or, possibly, a kind of “ceiling” is being reached (which is not good news). It should be remembered that the highest unemployment data recorded in the municipality in the previous economic crisis reached its highest peak in February 2012 with 2,254 unemployed people registered with the SEPE. Those whose work is not registered cannot be counted.

On the other hand, and being optimistic, this slight increase may be due to the fact that the economic aid and employment and hiring initiative that are being carried out by the administrations are finally giving good results, helping to stop a rapid growth in unemployment and alleviating the current complicated situation.

Comparing the data of Xàbia with other large municipalities in La Marina Alta region, it cen be seen that Dénia also increased its unemployment figure in February to 4,518 and in Calp it also grew, rising to 2,208 people. Xàbia continues to be the third town in the region with the highest number of unemployment.

Unemployment for February 2021 by age and gender

Analysing the data for February, there are great differences between men and women. Specifically, there were 899 registered unemployed men and 1,193 women. This difference of almost 300 people is a symptom of the gender gap at the labour level that exists in Xàbia, which is accentuated in periods of economic crisis. This fact leads to questions such as the instability of the jobs carried out by women in trades more vulnerable to the onslaught of an economic recession or the lack of women in productive sectors outside the tertiary sector (services, etc.), which is usually the biggest victim in times of crisis.

People over 45 years of age are the most affected. In February there were 996 unemployed (10 more than in January). Of these, 575 were women and 421 men. The number of women increases by 11 and that of men decreases by 1.

Finally, the group made up of those under 25 years of age, registered a total of 189 unemployed (95 men and 94 women). The figure for both amounts to 2 more people.

Regarding hiring, 332 new contracts were signed in February (27 less than in January). Of this total, 274 were temporary, 33 were permanent, and 25 went from being temporary to permanent.

Unemployment for February 2021 by sector

By sectors, Xàbia continues to register the highest amount of unemployment in the Services sector and the worrying figure of 1,674 unemployed people was registered in this sector for February (74 people more than the total unemployment registered in Xàbia in February a year ago). Compared to January of this year, the figure grows by 47 more people.

Unemployment in the Construction sector continues to fall – the proliferation of cranes and works in Xàbia is evident – and it decreases again with 206 unemployed (10 less than in January). The Industry sector, which was alsofalling, last month increased its figure by 2 more people, counting 54 people without employment. Finally, in the Fisheries and Agriculture sector, 24 people were registered (1 less compared to January).

Click below to read the original article in Spanish on Xàbia AL DÍA