How to respond to the collapse of Spain's job market?
In the second quarter of 2020, 1.07 million people lost their jobs in Spain in the worst-ever slump on the Spanish labour market. On top of that there is a vast number of employees on short-time work and freelancers without commissions. Spanish media call for the EU recovery funds to be used to make the country's labour market less vulnerable.
Far too dependent on beach tourism
The figures also show that Spain urgently needs to diversify its economy, warns El Periódico de Catalunya:
“The hesitant start to the holiday season, which is being torpedoed by the recommendations of countries like the UK, France and Germany not to travel to Spanish destinations, raises doubts about the future of Spain's labour market. The massive damage caused by holidaymakers' cancellations highlight the excessive dependence on beach tourism. There is now a chance to correct this imbalance by investing the money from the EU construction plan in a more efficient economic model. But this is a long-term challenge - while the abrupt loss of jobs requires immediate action in the form of public aid.”
No more precarious jobs, please!
Spain needs more stable jobs in less vulnerable sectors, El País demands:
“For decades there has been talk about the need to overcome the duality of the labour market [divided between secure, relatively well-paid jobs and newly created, often precarious jobs]. But so far this has been nothing but hot air. The EU funds should mark the beginning of a new policy of increasing investment while at the same time closely reviewing the conditions of employment contracts. Stimuli must be developed for creating new jobs while strengthening controls against exploitation. The priority in reconstruction should be to create new and more secure jobs in sectors with higher productivity.”