Collective layoffs in Spain reached their highest figure since the pandemic, with 14,642 workers as of May.

More and more people are being affected by collective layoffs . Specifically, from January to May, the total number of workers exposed to these layoffs rose to 14,642 , which is 591 more than those recorded during the first five months of 2024 and 8,764 more than five years ago. However, the positive difference compared to the previous year is not uniform; the spike began in the third month of 2025, with a jump of 1,290 from February to March of that same year being notable.

Particularly noteworthy is the increase in May , where the total number of employees affected by collective layoffs reached its highest level, with 4,594 workers laid off, a year-over-year increase of 34.6% , according to data compiled by the Ministry of Labor. Sources consulted by ABC indicate that this increase is due to the implementation of a large company's ERE, distorting the statistics.

It's worth mentioning the coincidence of the start of the tariff war with the spike experienced between February and March, which has been increasing ever since. At the beginning of Donald Trump 's second presidency, the White House implemented its new tariff policy, which led to the announcement, during March, and implementation, starting April 2, as well as episodes of pause and negotiation, of a host of "reciprocal" tariffs.

The battery of tariffs imposed on various states and sectors has left most countries around the globe, including Spain, immersed in a trade war with Washington. In addition to a distancing from international trade rules and the individual impact on our country's trade with the United States, a pattern of collective layoffs in Spain is evident that could be related to this tariff conflict.

While collective dismissal proceedings have seen a significant increase in the first five months of 2025, provisional data from the Ministry indicate more workers were affected between March and May 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, coinciding with the start of the tariff war.

For its part, this upward trend in the first five months of the year dates back to the time of Covid-19, specifically to 2019, when for the first time, after continuous accumulated declines since 2012, the sum of the twelve months of the year resulted in an increase in the number of workers affected by these collective dismissals. With 30,871 layoffs, 2019 marked the return of these increases . Since then, the figures from January to May have ranged from 5,878 affected employees in 2021, 9,209 in 2022, 13,562 in 2023, 14,051 in 2024, and 14,642 in 2025.

Thus, the largest increase for this period has been observed since 2023, despite this being the year in which the new notice requirement for collective dismissals came into effect. This provision requires companies that intend to close any of their workplaces to notify the competent labor authority for the region and the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy of this decision, provided that it involves a permanent cessation of activity and affects fifty or more employees.