- The number of women contributing to the Social Security system fell (-1.47%), although by much less than the number of men (-5.07%).
- The contribution regimes for Agricultural workers, Seamen, Coal workers and Domestic workers recorded an increase over the last twelve months of 75,200 people.
- "Contributor numbers reflect a fall that is normal for the month of January, with certain indicators showing up more prominently for reasons of the weather and the economic crisis".
There was an average total of 17,546,011 people in work contributing to the Social Security system in January, a fall of 257,828 compared with the previous month. The inter-annual rate stands at -3.5% (635,732 fewer contributors), reflecting a levelling out of the decline in contributor numbers compared with the same month of 2009, when the number of contributor fell by -5.11% and the Social Security system lost 979,055 contributors.
The seasonally-adjusted average contributor figures show a total average of 17,778,132 contributors. It is worth noting the increase in the number of people working in the areas of agriculture, farming and fishing and the levelling out of the general decline in contributor numbers; there were 38,741 fewer contributors in January of 2010, far from the 138,125 fewer contributors recorded in the same month of 2009.
The average number of contributors for the General Regime compared with December 2009 fell by 250,849 people, the inter-annual rate for which fell by 4.14%.
In January 2010, the average number of people in work and registered in the General Social Security Contribution Regime stood at 13,185,818. The Special Self-Employed Professional Regime recorded an average total of 3,146,161 people with the inter-annual rate falling by 4.29%. The combined total for other Regimes (Agricultural workers, Seamen, Coal workers and Domestic workers) recorded an increase over the last twelve months of 75,200 people.
The sectors to experience the most significant falls in contributor numbers in January compared with December were those of Construction workers, with an average 67,802 fewer contributors (-5.69%); Trade and repair of vehicles and motorcycles, with 34,850 fewer contributors (-1.52%); and Administrative activities and Auxiliary Services, with 30,110 fewer contributors (-2.78%).
In gender terms, the inter-annual rate for men fell by 5.07% (or 9,711,767 fewer men in work) while the rate for women recorded a shallower decline of 1.47% (or 7,834,244 fewer women in work).
The average number of foreigners in work and contributing to the Social Security system stood at 1,806,873, which is a fall in January of 41,174 people.
Assessment by the Secretary of State for Social Security, Mr Octavio Granado
According to the Secretary of State, "January is a month that experiences a decline in the number of people contributing to the Social Security system every year. This is generally caused by a conclusion to prior Christmas activity but in this case, however, we have also had to deal with bad weather-related issues that have exacerbated the delay to the return of many workers in the construction sector. Therefore, we can see a slightly greater fall than in years when the labour market is working, in other words, not in a crisis situation, which is usually 180,000 workers".
Mr Granado reiterated that, in January, "we can see that a fall took place in the first few days of the month. Subsequently, a series of recovery milestones were reached and these milestones have been reached faster during the second fortnight, where the figures are more positive than for the first fortnight. However, an adjustment always takes place for weather-related reasons in the construction sector. This sector usually uses the month of January to interrupt a series of activities and restart them at the end of the month or start another type of activity in February. The services sector also has an initial recruitment boost in December to cover the Sales and Christmas period, which then ends in January. The other sectors continue to suffer the economic crisis".
Mr Octavio Granado summarised by saying "the end of month figures are as we expected them to be; the figures for the month as a whole show a recovery that has been delayed by a few weeks this January. The Social Security contribution data therefore reflect a fall, but a fall that is standard for all months of January. Even when the labour market is creating numerous jobs, the General Social Security Regime contribution figures fall in January but with certain indicators showing up more prominently this year for reasons of the weather and the economic crisis".