Update 2 | Working women increase by almost 7% in two years

During the second quarter of 2015, Labour Force Survey estimates indicate an increase of 1.8 per cent in employment when compared to the corresponding quarter of 2014.

Labour Force Survey estimates indicate that, during the second quarter, total employment stood at 184,871 accounting to more than half the population aged 15 and over. Unemployed persons stood at 10,594 (2.9 per cent) while inactive persons totalled 164,855 (45.8 per cent).

According to the government, Malta was currently registering the highest ever rate of people in employment.

The government pointed out that that the rate of employment under the previous administration stood at 58.7 per cent.

The activity rate for the quarter under review was estimated at 67.6 per cent. The biggest beneficiaries were women, with the number of working women increasing by almost 7%.

The highest activity rate was recorded among persons aged 25-54 (81.2 per cent). When compared to the previous year, the total activity rate increased by 1.2 percentage points.

On average, 64 out of every 100 persons aged between 15 and 64 were employed. The highest employment rate was recorded among persons aged between 25 and 54 and stood at 77.7 per cent. The males’ employment rate for this age bracket was 90.8 per cent while that for females stood at 64.1 per cent.

Employed men were mostly engaged in wholesale and retail trade, transportation and storage, accommodation and food service activities (29.5 per cent). On the other hand, at 40.6 per cent, employed women were mostly engaged in public administration, defence, education, human health and social work activities.

Self-employed persons accounted for 13.8 per cent of the total employed population. The majority of employed persons worked on a full-time basis and totalled 156,603.

An estimated 23,617 (12.8 per cent) had a part-time job as their primary employment. A further 4,651 were working on a full-time with reduced hours basis.

The average annual basic salary of employees for the second quarter of 2015 was estimated at €16,406. This amount refers to the annual basic salary and excludes extra payments such as overtime, bonuses and allowances, as explained in the methodological notes. The highest average annual basic salary for employees was recorded in information and communication sector. Average annual salaries varied from €28,074 among managers to €11,359 among elementary staff.

Survey results estimate that the unemployment rate for the second quarter of 2015, stood at 5.4 per cent. The largest share of unemployed persons was recorded among persons aged 25 and over.

Among the unemployed, 45.7 per cent stated that they had been seeking work for at least 12 months.

In a reaction, economy shadow minister Mario de Marco pointed out that the number of persons employed in public administration, defence, education, human health and social work activities shot up from 46,489 in Q2 of last year to 50,646 in Q2 of this year.

The 4,000 increase in this sector, he said, jars with the decrease in the number of persons working in the manufacturing sector and in the wholesale, retail, food and accommodation, transport and storage sector. These sectors saw drops of 1,427 and 2,409 respectively (the decrease in the number of manufacturing sector employees could in part be the result of a reclassification exercise).

"The same Labour Force Survey indicates that while the average salary of persons working in the public administration, education and healthcare increased by €354, the average salary of employees in wholesale, retail and food and accommodation services sector increased by €65 and the average salary of persons working in the manufacturing sector employees decreased by €619," de Marco said.

"The results of the Labour Force Survey point to yet more persons being put on the public sector wage bill despite a clear promise by the government to the contrary. This course of action is pushing up government expenditure. This strategy whilst contributing to GDP growth in the short-term, is not sustainable in the medium and long-term."