MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Argentina unemployment in second quarter, 9.3%; first official data since Macri took office
Argentina had 9.3% unemployment in the second quarter of the year, the government's Indec statistics agency said in a report on Tuesday. It was the first official unemployment data to be published by Argentina since Mauricio Macri became president in December. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesFire all the gnocchi.
Aug 24th, 2016 - 12:43 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Given the histrionics from Riki I am amazed the true figure is as low as 9.3%.
Aug 24th, 2016 - 01:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Go, go Macri!
Finally, the numbers reveal the true nature of the Macri project in Argentina.
Aug 24th, 2016 - 02:22 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Women and the less than 29 years of age are among those most affected by increasing unemployment, the worst in the last 10 years in Argentina.
No government in the country's history has succeeded in destroying so many jobs in such a short time.
The prediction that Macri was coming to deliberately increase unemployment to 15 per cent so that workers would accept lower wages is beginning to appear painfully possible.
@3
Aug 24th, 2016 - 04:21 pm - Link - Report abuse 0After reading your post I understand why you complain about my comments.
Based on your writings it is quite clear that you believe in the figures and stats of the previous government. They informed the people, and they keep on defending these figures, that inflation durign CFK's years have never been higher than 10%
It seems that you either believe on these figures or you want to make us to believe on them. You are pathetic !!!!
@3 “The prediction that Macri was coming to deliberately increase unemployment to 15 per cent so that workers would accept lower wages is beginning to appear painfully possible.”
Aug 24th, 2016 - 05:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0But in another thread you stated “During the same period in 2015, unemployment was 6,6 por ciento.” So even comparing the dodgy 6.6% with the more reliable 9.3%, unemployment has only increased by 2.7% (probably less) under Macri so if the bulk of the non-productive workers have been laid off, it is unlikely that the unemployment rate will reach 15%. You should be relieved!
“...the less than 29 years of age are among those most affected by increasing unemployment” A large proportion of these people would have been subjected to the education system that the Ks used to brainwash them into supporting their ideas. Is it a coincidence that they are less employable? These are the real victims of the lost decade.
#4 pgerman
Aug 24th, 2016 - 05:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0German: This is not a matter of opinion. Unemployment has increased--and nobody is contesting that.
A number has been contested--I purposely avoided citing--and it's a 5.9 per cent unemployment figure that the Indec published for the last three months of 2015.
The numbers published by the Indec only take April to June and worse numbers are expected going forward.
Have you take the time to read the whole story above?
If you did, instead of dismissing the information I posted at #3, you would have noticed the following quote from Jorge Todesca, appointed as head of the Indec by president Mauricio Macri:
“It is obvious that we have a serious situation in the labor market.”
This is what counts. You can deny it, declare all is well, and the Earth keeps turning.
However, current president Macri is conducting a country and must take into account the real situation. Denial would be detrimental to his mandate.
#5 Zaphod
Oh yeah, I should have known it: Higher unemployment is all the laidoff ñoquis. Never mind, Mauricio! Zaphod said all is well.
Macaroni:
Aug 24th, 2016 - 06:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Instead of firing individual employees close entire offices and departments that are counterproductive to economic expansion.
This is a two for one.
The government payroll is decrease en masse and the private sector job creation increases expanding the tax base.
Institute whisteblower/production incentives.
If a bureaucrat will report a gnocchi and agree to do his own and the gnocchi's work as well -subject to review - fire the gnocchi, charge him with theft by deception and pay the bureaucrat 25% extra.
Never nice to lose one's job or be unemployed,
Aug 24th, 2016 - 07:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0the argy government should put all its resources into getting its workforce back to work if pos.
@6 I think you are underestimating the fudging of the figures by the CFK government. Yes, I am sure the unemployment figure has increased - not by much - but not the actual number of unemployed. CFK's government 'employed' many people that simply did not work other than to support her government at protests. You may not want to acknowledge this but it is true.
Aug 24th, 2016 - 07:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0What Macri is doing is taking this burden off the tax-paying public. They will get a lesser amount in unemployment benefits but the tax-payer should not be paying the higher price for people to not work.
That is is young people unemployed is surely a reflection of the Kirchner years. They simply were not prepared for the work place under the Kirchner administration.
If Macaroni could pass a reduction in unemployment benefits the budget would be improved, workers would be incentivized to be more productive and entrepreneurship would expand.
Aug 24th, 2016 - 07:47 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Liberalizing labor laws would increase productivity and lead to an expansion of the labor force.
Cut the public sector and regulations, grow the private sector and tax base.
@6
Aug 24th, 2016 - 08:08 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Enrique, you ignore a lot of issues of reality:
The first is that the previous government concealed, hid and falsify information unemployment, poverty and inflation. The Minister of Economy (Axel Kichiloff) told the Press that “poverty is not measured because it is a discriminating action against people,” Do you really believe that unemployment was 5% during 2015 in Argentina?
The second is that the unemployment rate reported by the current Argentine government is so according to “local” standards. If unemployment rate would be measured according to European or Canadian standards the real unemplyment rate of Argentina would be around 40% or more. (that would include those working informally) There are several argentine provinces where informal employment is 60/70%
The third thing is that you pretend to be shocked with the figure of 9% due to your hypocrisy and political fanaticism. During the last three years Argentina received a foreign investment of an average of U$D 1,000/1,500 million when, according to the investment in other Latam countries, Argentina should have received around U$D 15,000 million per year (foreign investment during 2016 will be about U$D 3,000 million). This obviously impacts the creation of real jobs. Generating work is not an act of will but the result of a clean, tidy and reliable economy. Something that you seems to ignore.
11. lol.
Aug 24th, 2016 - 08:17 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Give up.
Reeeeeeeeeekie would have you believe that wealth is created by government not commerce.
Mendoza is the only city of over 1 million with full employent, so as I have always said here, no problems in Mendoza. No problems under CFK, no problems under Macri.
Aug 25th, 2016 - 08:01 am - Link - Report abuse 0Nostrils - who are all those people idly wasting their lives sitting on doorsteps, occupying the benches in Parque Metropitano and creeping out at night gathering up cardboard and plastic? A huge number of unemployed in Mendoza.
Aug 25th, 2016 - 09:39 am - Link - Report abuse 0You just proved you don't live in Mendoza! You live in your own fantasy world, safely in Europe.
There are no cardboard pickers in Mendoza. And parque Metropolitano isn't in this city either. Please stop making a buffoon of yourself.
Aug 25th, 2016 - 11:28 am - Link - Report abuse 0Wow, sense of jealousy that the unemployment of 4.4% in Mendoza is far lower than anywhere in EUialand, Brittoland, and even NorthAmoland?
So now when the numbers are not your liking, maybe INDEC faked the ones in Mendoza, but the ones in Rosario and Cordoba are right no?
Hahahahah....
Thankyou Nostrils, you just proved it once again. Ever heard of Campo Papas? Or do you consider Cartoneroing employment.
Aug 25th, 2016 - 01:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Your grip on statistics is on par with KFCs - is that where you work?
What about all those layabouts, many have taken up cardboard picking after Cristinas stipend was cancelled by Macri.
You dont live where you say you do. Another RG liar.
The many times I visited Mendoza there were a lot of beggars around. Is that a profession there?
Aug 25th, 2016 - 02:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@17
Aug 25th, 2016 - 03:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You go to any North Amoan city downtown it is teeming with beggars? Your point?
#9 ElaineB
Aug 25th, 2016 - 03:48 pm - Link - Report abuse 0This is the time when the consequences of the economic measures taken in the last eight months begin to appear.
The discussion in Argentina is intense at this time. There are many who say this is just a difficult time that needs to be crossed until the fruits of president Macri's economic policies begin to show up.
Macri's faithful remark how distorted the numbers under Cristina Fernandez' government were--as you do--which to them miminizes the meaning of current, unflattering data.
Others say the contraction of the economy will not only continue but increase, with negative effects on the majority of the population.
Many do not care what the statistics say, as Rio Negro and Neuquen apple and pear producers who brought 10 tonnes of fruit to give away in Plaza de Mayo to call the government's attention on their difficulties.
People lined up to get three or four fruits each, and the producers were out of fruit in less than two hours.
Meanwhile, MP commentators are still talking about the ñoquis.
Our point is tbat you deny Villas, deny Cartoneros, deny beggars and swallow RG government lies whole. You even regurgitate them. There are beggars in most capital cities. You dont even live where you say you live, thats lying and like Reekie hypocritical.
Aug 25th, 2016 - 03:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@20
Aug 25th, 2016 - 04:01 pm - Link - Report abuse 0So the Macri figures are lies. You said it.
@6 “Higher unemployment is all the laidoff ñoquis. Never mind, Mauricio! Zaphod said all is well.”
Aug 25th, 2016 - 05:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I never said that, but I'd be happy to tell Mauricio my thoughts if we ever meet. ;-)
I_Trolltally_invent_everything_I_post
#13 “Mendoza is the only city of over 1 million with full employent”
#15 “the unemployment of 4.4% in Mendoza”
These two statements are apparently mutually exclusive, but given your track record they are probably both inventions.
@18 Whooosh, the point went over your head again.
Aug 25th, 2016 - 05:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You said there is full employment in Mendoza, I am asking if begging is considered employment because there are plenty of them in Mendoza.
@19 I am not quite sure what point you are trying to make. There were many falsely employed people under CFK's government. They didn't work, they were paid by her government a wage in return for their support. They were, in truth unemployed. Macri is removing that burden from the people. Of course, he could have 'employed' tens of thousands in the same way but he knows that will never help Argentina reach its' true potential.
Years ago when CFK was in power I had a long discussion with fruit growers who had to allow fruit to rot because they could not get people to pick them. They tended to rely on Bolivian work gangs as the Argentines wouldn't do the work but it was getting harder to find enough workers. A similar problem occurred in the UK and we also use immigrant workers - though, obviously the difference in the economies makes the problem in Argentina baffling. I guess if you can get a wage for nothing other than attending the occasional protest, why work.
@19 Enrique, you always ignore my comments because you prefer to ignore a lot of issues of reality:
Aug 25th, 2016 - 05:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The first is that the previous government concealed, hid and falsify information unemployment, poverty and inflation. The Minister of Economy (Axel Kichiloff) told the Press that “poverty is not measured because it is a discriminating action against people,” Do you really believe that unemployment was 5% during 2015 in Argentina? Do you??
The second is that the unemployment rate reported by the current Argentine government is 5% according to “local” standards. If unemployment rate would be measured according to European, or Canadian, standards the real unemplyment rate of Argentina would be around 40% or even higher (that would include those working informally). There are several argentine provinces where informal employment is 60/70%
The third thing is that you pretend to be shocked with the figure of 9% due to your hypocrisy and political fanaticism. During the last three years Argentina received a foreign investment of an average of U$D 1,000/1,500 million when, according to the investment in other Latam countries, Argentina should have received around U$D 15,000 million per year (foreign investment during 2016 will be about U$D 3,000 million). This obviously impacts the creation of genuine job positions. Generating jobs is not an “act of will” but the result of a clean, tidy and reliable economy. Something that you seems to ignore.
Finally, if you have the chance to see the interviews made to the small fruit producers that were demostrating this week in Plaza de Mayo you will listen that they say that “this situation is not new”. In addition, the current goverment reduce to nothing the exportation taxes to the fruit producer. It is a matter of lack of “support price”.
#24 pgerman
Aug 26th, 2016 - 05:05 am - Link - Report abuse 0Amazing job, German! Your research is impressive. Unfortunately, playing around with numbers in all directions does not make it.
The numbers to remember are as follows:
Unemployment April-June 2015: 6.6 per cent.
Unemployment April-June 2016: 9.3 per cent. (Just shy of 50 per cent increase).
The numbers expected for July-September are expected to be much worse.
But unemployment is not the only worrisome number about the Argentine economy.
According to Indec, the economic activity in Argentina fell 4.3 per cent in June in relation to the same month a year before. The jobless do not buy as much, the small business are beginning to feel the double whammy of reduced income and increased energy tariffs, and reducing activity or closing down.
You may scoff at the numbers from 2015 as distorted by CFK's special orders etc. etc. But pretty soon we'll be in 2017. What are you going to say when numbers begin comparing year-to-year the Macrist Indec figures?
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