The National Federation of Self-Employed Workers (ATA) has once again focused on the delicate situation of self-employment after noting the disappearance of more than 104,700 self-employed workers in the last year, which amounts to a decline of 3.2%. These figures, coming from the latest Active Population Survey (EPA), lead the organization to demand a reduction in bureaucratic burdens, taxes, and contributions, as well as a strengthening of social protection for the group.
"The EPA reflects the harsh reality of the self-employed. We do not need strikes or electoral pantomimes," stated the president of ATA, Lorenzo Amor, after the data corresponding to the third quarter of the year was made known.
The federation has also emphasized the evolution of self-employed employers. Although there has been an increase of 17,500 people compared to the second quarter, when taking the same period of the previous year as a reference, there is a decrease of 12,300 employers, which represents a decline of 1.28%.
In parallel, ATA highlights the setback among employers without employees, who have lost 43,000 positions just in the last quarter and nearly 107,300 in the last twelve months, according to the data handled by the organization.
"What self-employed workers need are fewer obstacles and bureaucracy, fewer taxes, fewer contributions, and more social protection," defended Amor, who added that on November 29, self-employed workers "must express themselves at the polls."