Mendia: “The policies adopted are having a positive effect on employment”

Euskaraz irakurri: Mendia: “Hartutako politikak modu positiboan ari dira eragiten enpleguan”

The Second Vice-Lehendakari and Minister of Labor and Employment of the Basque Government, Idoia Mendiahas highlighted that the unemployment data consolidate a trend that shows that “the public policies that we are carrying out are having a positive effect”.

In an interview conducted this morning on Radio Euskadi’s “Boulevard” program, the vice-lehendakari recalled that this information had not occurred since April 2009.

According to data from the Department of Labor and Employment of the Basque Government made public this Wednesday, unemployment fell by 1.31% during the month of April in the Basque Autonomous Community. Specific, Lanbide has registered 115,554 people without work in Aprilthat is, 1531 unemployed people less than the previous one.

Mendia has highlighted that Euskadi is “close to the historical ceiling of Social Security contributors”, in a context “with the demographic problem that we have in Euskadi and retirement”.

“In a context where people are retiring, our Social Security contributors are growing and unemployment is falling,” he remarked, considering that it is “a good figure”, although the Basque Government continues to work so that “the 115,000 people who are enrolled in Lanbide because they don’t have a job can have a job opportunity”.

To achieve this, he stressed, they are working on “improving their training, so that it is closer to the needs of the economic fabric of the Basque Country, so that they can thus have better employment opportunities”.

However, and despite the fact that the policies work, Mendia believes that “the context is very volatile, with very high inflation, with a war that creates instability… We will also notice these effects”, he pointed out.

“Labor accidents have always worried us”

The Second Vice-Lehendakari and Minister of Labor and Employment of the Basque Government has stressed that they are concerned about workplace accidents. In this context, she has indicated that they have made a plan for the next five years.

“We must remember that the obligation of safety at work belongs to the employers. The unions, the governments, we collaborate, we campaign, but it is an obligation of the employers”, he indicated.

Following the announcement by the Second Vice President and Minister of Labour, Yolanda Diez, that in the next few days the Labor Statute of the 21st century will begin to be drawn up, Mendia considers that the world of work has changed, even more so after the pandemic. Thus, he considersIt is necessary for the legislation to adapt to the reality of the world in which we are and in which we are going to be. There are many issues that need to be regulated,” he said.

Pegasus case

On Pegasus espionage, Mendia has asked “sanity” in a matter “as serious” as the alleged cases of espionage using the Pegasus software and, in this sense, he has appealed to “wait and trust the explanations” given by the Government. Likewise, he has shown confidence that Pedro Sánchez will be able to exhaust the legislature and has highlighted that, despite “a lot of noise about instability”, the Government “continues to carry out” its measures.

Regarding the demand of United We Can, Mendia explained that, in the coalition government in Euskadi, sometimes there are “discrepancies” and she “does not run to social networks to air them”. As he has indicated, “when you are in a coalition government with a program that you are proud of, you have to defend the policies you make”, so that “the role you are developing in that government is valued” instead of ” weaken your position in government.

Asked about the position they are maintaining in the PNV Congress, she pointed out that the jeltzales are a party with “government responsibilities” and pointed out that “casting doubts about the aspect of respect for the rights of a government in the end is a boomerang that turns against any government, including the Basque Government”.