After warning in recent months a slowdown in the decline in unemployment, which culminated in the unusual data for the month of July for the exceptional in the summer period, the data for the month of August show figures of unemployment, hiring and affiliation to Social Security which are compatible with the context of economic slowdown and uncertainty.
The trade war in China and the United States, fear of the effects of Brexit, the slowdown of the economy in the Euro Zone, particularly in Germany, and ignorance of the rules of the game in the short and medium term are ballasting investment decisions of Companies that affect employment.
In this context of economic uncertainty, the adoption of countercyclical measures could be expected, in a framework of stability and moderation, that would contribute to lessen the effects of economic retraction and employment, providing companies with the necessary security and predictability in making decisions.
Registered unemployment breaks, as usual in August, the downward trend registered in the previous five months of the year. Thus, it rises in the month of August in 54,371 people, the highest increase in a month of August since 2010.
On the other hand, in seasonally adjusted terms, unemployment increases by 4,435 people.
This evolution of unemployment in the month of August is presided over by the fact that said month is traditionally negative for employment, since contracts related to clearly seasonal activities of the summer season that had grown significantly in previous months expire, which Uncertainty joins in the economic plane.
On the other hand, the balance of the last twelve months reflects a drop in unemployment in 116,264 registered unemployed, with an interannual rate of -3.65%.
Although we have abandoned the barrier of the three and a half million unemployed people, by placing ourselves at 3,065,804, the lowest figure in a month of August of the last ten years, we are still close to that barrier -3,536,074- if we count the excluded from the official lists for being in any of the situations regulated in the Order of March 11, 1985 and, in particular, for being conducting training courses or being job seekers with “limited availability” or with “specific job demand ”, Which makes it necessary to continue promoting and consolidating the maintenance and recovery of employment.
Social Security Affiliation
Parallel to the evolution of hiring and employment, Social Security affiliation data, especially revealing the behavior of our labor market, reflect a drop compared to the previous month by 212,984 people. Unfortunately we are facing the biggest decline this month since 2008.
The number of employed affiliates stands at 19,320,227, being the best data in a month of August of the historical series.
In interannual terms, membership increases by 480,413 people. In this way, the positive interannual rate reflects a slight fall and stands at 2.55%.