Unemployment in Fuerteventura

[McAdam]

From many years living all over Europe and parts of north Africa - I saw a stark difference in how a community runs and how deep a family connection can go.

I saw the same things in Berlin and London - barely able to walk for 10 minutes without seeing someone sleeping rough.
And you will also see the same thing in other major cities in Spain.

Here, on the islands, there is a difference. The locals have a greater sense of community, a greater sense of family. And so when one single person suffers financially, the rest will pick up the slack and try to support them.
Likewise, here people are less materialistic, happy to survive with the most basic of things, happy to be alive - and thus its harder for them to drop to a darker state of mind that ends up spiraling out of control.

There are many many people here who are unable to survive, but they will find a way to help someone to get what they need in return. Its not just about making enough Money, its about what you need to live.

Here they dont like handouts and would prefer to barter rather than beg. A friend on another island now employs 8 people on their farm. At least 4 of these people were unemployed, they came by to help one day when more workers were needed, just to earn a day's basic wage (happy with even 20-30€). But they were so dedicated and grateful, they were invited back again and again. After a few weeks, they were officially employed.
One guy had come to the islands from Cuba 20 years ago, and for the first time in his life, he had medical insurance. He was a really happy laughy cheery guy from the first day.

The attitude of the people struggling is different, and how people treat them is different.

So it's not about how much Money they get, it's about everything other than Money that they get

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

I agree with these thoughts to a certain degree but I think there are also an awful lot of people struggling. Not everyone has family, and not all families are willing/able to support others. I saw some data on the number of squatters the other week (I can't find it now) and the numbers are on the up and up. As for people begging, they are certainly around, perhaps just not in the more visible tourist areas. This evening for example in Corralejo I walked approx 200m from my dentist back to my car and was approached by 3 different individuals. This was in  the middle of the older part of town. You then have the shanty buildings between Centro Salud and the Wind Turbines where a number of homeless people have made themselves a bit of shelter. I'm sure some are living like this out of choice but I bet there are some who have been reduced to this by circumstances. I'm also aware of a number of apartments where 2 or 3 families have moved in together, so a family per bedroom at best, in order to try to make ends meet.
Most of my comments above are not only specific to now, it's how it is normally, but perhaps a bit worse at the moment. 
Some places have reopened, or changed hours, some haven't. Some people are eating out, a lot of people aren't! Partly for financial reasons, partly for COVID/social distancing reasons.

[Captain Sensible]

There are a lot of people struggling to survive. All those that own hospitality businesses, all those that were employed in the tourist industry, airport workers etc.

Government help is minimal compared to many other countries. Unemployment was high before the situation of the last year.

[DavidP]

We pensioners are very lucky and in some ways spoilt at this moment.

Even if your pension is miniscule at least for the moment it is a guaranteed income.

Note to Tamara I have an acquaintance in the shanty town, his choice, he is happy and as far as he is concerned he is off the radar. though he gets an occasional visit from the CG but they do not harass him and he is "happy" for the company.
He actually works in the port.
I confess I do not understand but it his choice.

[Fabian]

When I was on the island in October/november I was actually shocked to see so much misery. So many people who were/are devastated on this beautiful island.
I saw facebook posts about la "Caja de la pequeña Silvia" (click for the link), the Poor Children’s Fund.

Reading about the stories of so many of the locals made me really sad. I decided to get in contact with the foundation and took over a sponsorship so that a family can go grocery shopping.
While I was walking through the streets of a little town in Fuerteventura with one of the volunteer helpers, so that the family could do their shopping in peace, I saw how many desperate people approached the volunteer helper (he is one of the organizers of the foundation) during the short period of time we were walking there.

He told me so many stories of people who are left with nothing. Last year was especially hard for single parents. There are single mothers who can not afford to buy baby food or diapers anymore. Old people who simply do not have enough Money to pay for their medication.

The family I helped were squatters. 3 generations who lived together in a house without electricity and had no water supply. The oldest of them was a very sick lady who almost collapsed while shopping. They also lived in this house with a small child.


Around two weeks ago there has been coverage of the current situation and also about the "Caja de la pequeña Silvia" on german television. You can find a recording of it on facebook if you are interested.

All of the families did get very very little help from the government. In the short report they reported that the families only get 400 euros in child support a month, regardless of the number of children they have.
The people I met also told me that the government does not pay them the Money that they are entitled to. Applications “disappear”, the Money that politicians promise to the people never reaches them.

Now these are only my experiences and thoughts about the current situation of so many locals on the island who lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Yes, there might be some people who might not want to work or have already been on benefits before COVID-19. But most of the people who are faced with ruin are ordinary people, who fervently wish to get back to work and own their own Money. I wish them all the best and really hope that the situation gets better soon (even though I doubt it).

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Radio Sintonia:

Fuerteventura achieves the second largest drop in unemployment in the Canary Islands.

The number of unemployed people registered in the offices of the State Public Employment Service (SEPE) at the end of May 2022 is 2,922,991. This is the lowest figure since November 2008, at the beginning of the financial crisis.

 

In The month of May, unemployment fell by 99,512 people (-3.29%) in a context of great international uncertainty. Compared to May 2021, the total number of unemployed has decreased by 858,259 people (-22.7%).

Registered unemployment fell in all the Autonomous Communities, compared to May 2021, especially in the Balearic Islands (-52%), in the Canary Islands (-30%) and in Catalonia (-28%).

According to the Government of the Canary Islands, Fuerteventura is the second island with the highest drop in unemployment in the Canary Islands, with a decrease of 2.8% compared to April and 48.1% compared to last year, only behind Lanzarote which registers a decrease of 3.4% compared to the previous month and 49.5% compared to 2021. The total number of unemployed people amounts to 7,755 of which 3,372 are men and 4,383 are women, according to the latest recorded data, corresponding to the month of May.
By age, the most pronounced group is still those over 45 years old, with 4,208 people representing 54.26% of the unemployed.

[Johnrgby]

Am I missing something here?

" The number of unemployed people registered in the offices of the State Public Employment Service (SEPE) at the end of May 2022 is 2,922,991. This is the lowest figure since November 2008, at the beginning of the financial crisis."

2,922991 surely the entire population is only around 2.2M?

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

I think that figure refers to Spain, 47M more or less.

[Johnrgby]

Thanks Tamara, I knew i was missing something

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Noticias:

Unemployment falls in the Canary Islands by almost 3,500 people in June.

The number of unemployed in the Canary Islands in the offices of the public employment services (former Inem) stood at the end of June at 190,244 after falling by 3,498 unemployed during the last month, a percentage decrease of 1.81%, according to data from the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy published on Monday.

 

Compared to the same month last year, unemployment fell by 84,231 unemployed in the Autonomous Community, which is 30.69% less.

 
At the national level, the number of unemployed registered in the offices of the public employment services fell by 42,409 unemployed in June (-1.4%), bringing the total unemployed below 2.9 million for the first time since autumn 2008.