Galicia’s industrial sector is losing weight and destroying 40,000 jobs in 14 years

He Galicia’s industrial sector lost 40,000 jobs between 2008 and 2022, putting its weight in relation to the community’s gross domestic product (GDP) at 15.6%. This is one of the data it collects Report on the economic and social situation of Galicia 2022which was unanimously approved yesterday by the plenary session of the Economic and Social Council (CES), and among its 86 considerations, it includes the need to adopt measures that favor the strengthening of the industrial sector, promote competitiveness and favor the ecological and digital transition, due to its important role in the economic growth of the community.as a driving element of auxiliary sectors and because of its ability to create quality jobs». CES refers specifically to manufacturing industry, which concentrated 13.8% of gross value added (GVA) in 2008.and that last year it was reduced to 11.9%.

The report also states that Galicia is losing positions in the synthetic index of regional competitiveness prepared by the European Commission: ranked 143rd in 2016 and 149th in 2022, compared to northern Portugal, which rose from 164 to 135. In total spending on research and development and patent registration, «The situation in Galicia is very uncertain», and Consell calls on public authorities to increase funds for research and development and encourage innovation projects. They show that many initiatives in development are related to just transition zones and represent an important opportunity for progress in decarbonizing the production model and reducing energy dependence on third parties, noting “The possibilities provided by European funds and the importance of managing them axially and effectively».

Warning for the primary sector

CES also warns about the constant destruction of employment in the primary sector in recent years. In 2022, a loss of 1,100 employed persons was recorded in the fisheries and aquaculture branch compared to the previous year, while in the sub-sector agriculture, animal husbandry and forestry, only 300 increased. In this context, the closure of agricultural and livestock farms is added, with an impact that contributes to economic depopulation and the abandonment of rural areas. Organism explains that in one year, cattle farms (especially beef cattle) were reduced by more than 10,000, 30% of the existing ones. They call for the activation of support for those who are still resisting and the establishment of plans for the management of the territory where farms have disappeared (especially mountainous areas and areas of high ecological value) to prevent it from being affected by forest fires.

Another of the activities for which they are seeking public support is small entrepreneurship, considering the closing of numerous shops, which damages the very uniqueness of towns and cities. They also demand the provision of more subsidized housing in Galician society where inequalities are growing with a poverty rate of 25.6% among young people aged 16 to 24, with a risk of poverty rate of up to 54.47% among persons of foreign citizenship (17.17% for natives).

Health and demography

The CES report considers waiting lists for 2022 in Sergas hospitals for specialties closest to mental illness to be “unacceptable” (59.1 days for neurology and 50.4 for psychiatry), in a community where the number of suicides has increased from 305 in 2020 to 337 in 2021. Also claims measures to reduce hospital waiting lists, from 75.4 days in 2022 (53.9 before the pandemic), which exceed 91 for radiological examinations and more than 76 for priority 2 pathologies, and warn of the loss of quality of primary health care in rural areas.

CES considers it inalienable that the policies of demographic challenges occupy a central place in public administrations. It also requires the continuation of educational campaigns against violence against women (3,652 complaints and 1,430 orders for protection in one year), while exposing the gender gap in pensions (872 euros on average for them and 1,278 for them).