By COCETA the Spanish Confederation of Worker Cooperatives
According to COCETA the Spanish Confederation of Co-operative Workers employment has risen by an average of 7.2% in the last quarter.
Growth is higher in autonomous regions such as Valencia, which say an increase of 31%, Andalusia - 18.8%, and Murcia - 10%. These latest figures once again demonstrate the ability of the co-operative enterprise to withstand pressure at times of economic and social crises.
While the overall numbers of unemployment in Spain reached record levels with over 5 million unemployed, according to data from last quarter from the Ministry of Employment and Social Security, employment in the co-operatives sector has grown by 7.2%, creating 19,602 new jobs in one quarter. This growth is located mostly in co-operatives working in one of its main sectors such as services, an increase of 7.5% and 12,890 new jobs in the last quarter.
“The latest figures clearly demonstrate that co-operatives are an important option for job creation, which governments should support in growing the local economy,” says Juan Antonio Pedroza, president of the Spanish Confederation of Worker Cooperatives (COCETA).”We know that this is true, and never more so than in times of crisis, where co-operatives are able to create jobs while other forms of companies lose jobs, this is in spite of encountering difficulties in accessing funding. “
The role of cooperatives in job creation and poverty eradication, and in particular the labor unions - is paramount to bring us out of recession. As we begin the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives we have to ensure that we do not lose this opportunity to raise public awareness of OUR business model and the real benefits that brings.
For more information contact the Department of Communication, COCETA:prensa@coceta.coop
