MADRID -- Negotiations between unions and the employers have not recovered their rhythm since the controversial new labour laws introduced by the PP government. Official statistics show that there were 1,319 agreements signed over the first nine months of the year, only 100 more than last year, the worst since the crisis began. One of the principal inducements aimed at renewing the contracts was the so-called 'ultraactivity' clause in the law that kept going contracts that had run out, until a new one had been agreed. Nevertheless, experts agree point out are the daily working hours that have been agreed so far. These rose by 30 annual hours for 2014, or 1,756 hours, compared to the same peiod last year, and the longest since 2002. Negotiations with salaried personnel unions, with new contracts starting on January 1, 2015, have fixed the annual working hours at 1,825, according to Ministry of Employment. The Autonomous Communities with the longest work day are:
