Last year (2011) the unemployment level increased in all of Spains communities, especially in La Rioja (+13.28%), Extremadura (+12.93%), Cantabria (+11.59%) and Asturias (+11.50%). In the Canary Islands the increase was 4.3%, according to figures released today by the Ministry of Labour. This adds an additional 10,949 people to the unemployed lists of the Canary Islands. In the month of December last year (2011) unemployment did decline slightly in four of Spains communities, in Andalucia with 13,325 fewer unemployed, Madrid, (4,303), Catalonia (1,425) and the Canary Islands (644). In the Canary Islands there are currently 265,569 people unemployed.

Iberia has had to cancel 118 flights today (Thursday 29th December 2011) as they are not protected by the minimum services agreed for the strike by the pilots union, SEPLA, and after no agreement during the meetings with the intention of avoiding disruption. More than 10,000 passengers due to travel today with the main Spanish airline have had their holiday travel plans altered, although the company has said it has already been relocated 90% of these passengers to other Iberia flights or other companies. This high rate of relocation, says Iberia, has been achieved thanks to the ‘contingency plan’ launched by the airline last December 7th when SEPLA decided to announce two days of strikes on the 18th and 29th December. According to the minimum services mandated by the Ministry of Development, of the 329 flights that were scheduled for today, 211 were protected, compared to the 118 routes that have been affected. Specifically, they have protected 90% of long haul flights, 62% of medium-range, 57% of domestic flights and all flights to the Canary and Balearic Islands. The strikes are against the creation of Iberia Express, a subsidiary of Iberia Airlines, established in October 2011 and due to start flying in late March 2012.