Spains unemployment has soared to record levels this summer, despite the fact that summer is traditionally the period where, what with beach bars, hotels and whatnot, unemployment drops due to temporary summer work contracts.
A further 53.500 people lost their jobs last month to June, about 1% of the total, bringing the total number of unemployed up to 5.693.100 across the nation at the beginning of this month, or 24.63% of the active workforce.
53.28% of all youths are out of work, and there are 1.737.600 households which have not one single person in employment.
In Andalucia, there are 1.36 million people unemployed (out of a total population of around 8 million).
Meanwhile, the Junta de Andalucía has announced that it will spend 200 million euros to create 11,000 jobs over the next year and a half. This breaks down into 100 million improving education centres across Andalucia (pity they sacked all the teachers), 90 millions for reforestation and environmental improvement projects, and 10 millions to rehabilitate elderly homes.
None of which, I notice, actually helps create long term employment. More sticking plaster politics from the geniuses in Seville, whose only concern is that their builder buddies aren’t seeing many large contracts come their way.