A Look at EPA Data
In a time when news can be ephemeral, it’s important to take the time to analyze newsworthy events, even if more than a week has passed. Thus, we want to offer an opinion on the data of the Active Population Survey (EPA) for the first quarter of 2024, published on April 26.
Unions and employers assessed the EPA data from their respective perspectives. However, the most outstanding news was the lack of assessment on the part of the Government, which limited itself to exposing some data, without addressing the quality of employment, job insecurity and the educational issues included in the EPA.
Labor Precarity and Contracts
The data reveal an increase in job insecurity, with 20% of employees with less than a year of experience in the company. In addition, more than 29% have a seniority in the contract of less than one year, indicating a year-on-year increase of approximately 1.5%. These figures highlight the effects of the ease and low cost of dismissals, as well as fraud in new hires.
Educational Data
Regarding educational data, a slight increase in the number of young people with a low educational level is observed, as well as a 3.19% increase in the early school leaving rate. These figures highlight the need to focus political and budgetary efforts on improving young people’s education and reducing early school leaving rates.
Conclusions
In summary, the EPA data from the first quarter of 2024 in the Balearic Islands highlight a situation of job insecurity and worrying educational issues. This requires immediate attention and concrete policy actions to effectively address these challenges.