Vega Baja unemployment rises by 848 in October to 22,762

The Vega Baja ended October with 22,762 people registered as unemployed, an increase of 848 on the previous month, according to Public Employment Service figures released on Wednesday 4 November.

The increase affects every sector and age group covered in the regional breakdown, with services accounting for the largest rise in the number of people registered.

Orihuela adds 74 and Guardamar 49

Torrevieja records the largest municipal increase, with 488 more people registered and a total of 7,321 unemployed, followed by Orihuela, which adds 74 to reach 4,308.

Unemployment in Almoradí rises by 56 people to 1,620, while Guardamar del Segura adds 49, bringing its total number of registered unemployed to 949.

The exceptions to the upward trend are Cox, where unemployment falls by 20 people; Callosa del Segura, with 16 fewer, and San Isidro, where the number drops by three.

Their totals stand at 394 people in Cox, 1,222 in Callosa del Segura and 142 in San Isidro.

Services records the largest increase

The services sector adds 545 unemployed people to reach 15,339, while the group with no previous economic activity grows by 200 to a total of 2,496.

Construction adds 68 registered unemployed to reach 2,302; industry rises by 24 to 1,776, and agriculture increases by 11 to a total of 849.

More women registered than men

Female unemployment rises by 555 to 13,837, compared with a male increase of 293, taking the number of men registered as unemployed to 8,925.

The UGT trade union calls for employment policies supporting women’s access to decent, quality jobs, as well as equal pay.

By age, the largest increase is among people aged 25 to 44, with 411 more registered and a total of 7,872 unemployed.

Under-25s add 232 to reach 1,608, while those aged over 44 rise by 205, bringing their registered total to 13,282.