The price increase facing both companies and citizens in general already has a certain forecast and will start to falter. And in the province of Alicante, inflation skyrocketed. 10.5% year-on-year increase. Housing component was the component that increased the most due to the cost of electricity, followed by transportation due to the increase in gasoline and diesel. An extremely worrying panorama that motivates unions to consider making demands salary review articles While the agreements made prevent workers from losing their purchasing power, employers warn against the danger of price and salary increases feeding each other.
The National Institute of Statistics (INE) has confirmed that the annual CPI in Spain rose to 9.8% in March after a 3% increase from February. This is the highest level since May 1985.In a context that worsened as a result of the war in Ukraine
In the case of Alicante, the increase in inflation is even more pronounced, not less than 10.5% compared to the same month of the previous year. In 2022, the increase so far is estimated to be 3.8%, compared to 3.3% monthly. As at the national level, the section on housing, electricity and gas, with 37.6% on an annual basis, experienced the biggest increase. Fuel-based transportation also drew this climb with 20.1%. Also, when looking at what it means for the shopping cart, the 7.7% increase in food draws attention. In the province of Alicante, there has been an increase above the national average in all groups, except for clothing and shoes, kitchenware, entertainment and culture departments.
In this context, unions are already alarmed about the impact of this rise in inflation on workers’ purchasing power. Paco García, CC OO’s secretary at l’Alacantí and Les Marines, said the rise in prices “has had a greater impact in Alicante than in other provinces because here, in general, fees are lowerFor this reason, he emphasizes that they will demand the introduction of salary review clauses in the contracts, “as always, so that the working class does not pay the price”.
Yaissel Sánchez, secretary of the UGT at the same border, expresses himself in similar terms and also advocates introducing clauses in the agreements. “We will see whether the measures to be implemented by both central and regional governments will have positive effects, but in the meantime, our obligation is to defend the purchasing power of workers, to keep the balance with the workers. The problems they also experience. The companies. In the end, ask for common sense agreement“.
From the Valencian Community Business Confederation (CEV), “avoid a scenario where increases in prices and wages feed off each other. To the extent that this translates into, for example, an upward pressure on labor costs, the persistence of the inflationary recovery will be higher and more durable.
In this context, what is most urgent and attractive from the CEV is its request for greater speed on behalf of the European, national and regional authorities in the implementation of measures that can reduce or reduce energy and raw material prices. They emphasize that the goal is to achieve a price and cost path in line with the sustainable growth that Alicante’s economy needs.
Thirty-five regions have double-digit increases
At least 35 national regions recorded double-digit increases in inflation above 10% in any case. In addition to Alicante, this list includes Albacete, Ávila, Badajoz, Vizcaya, Burgos, Cantabria, Castellón, Ciudad Real, Córdoba, La Coruña, Cuenca, Girona, Guadalajara, Huelva, Huesca and Jaén. León, Lleida, Lugo, Málaga, Murcia, Orense, Palencia, Pontevedra, La Rioja, Salamanca, Segovia, Soria, Tarragona, Teruel, Toledo, Valladolid, Zamora and Zaragoza are also on this list.
The main increase was recorded in the province of Toledo at 12.6% year-on-year, further highlighting 12.5% in Leon, 12.2% in Huesca and 12% in Ávila. On the opposite side is Ceuta, up 7.8%; to this must be added 8.3% of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 8.5% of Las Palmas or 8.8% of Guipúzcoa.
Regarding the Valencian Community, it should be noted that the province of Castellón recorded an 11.9% increase in inflation, while Valencia recorded a lower, particularly 9.7% increase.