At 10 in the morning this Wednesday, CCOO and UGT organized a roadside camp at Plaza Gabriel Miró in Alicante to highlight a troubling trend: a significant drop in funding for the public postal service over recent years. The demonstration included a signature drive, distribution of brochures, and public explanations to passersby who joined the campaign. The effort is part of a broader push to keep citizens informed and engaged about the future of postal services in the country.
Under the banner “Let’s Save the Mail”, the unions aim to raise awareness about the consequences of what they describe as postal abandonment by the Post Office’s leadership, with perceived government acquiescence. They contend that the public postal service, which handles letters, certificates, notifications, and parcels up to 20 kilograms, has faced deteriorating quality and reliability due to financial and labor reductions. These cuts have impacted office closures, distribution centers, rural work, and reduced customer service hours, making everyday postal needs less accessible for many citizens.
The unions point out that universal service pricing should remain affordable. Yet they argue that Correos, seen as a legally mandated operator, has raised postage prices in recent years. This escalation is said to undermine universal postal products, hitting small and medium enterprises hardest and affecting economically vulnerable groups most severely.
CCOO and UGT claim that over the past three years more than 7,000 jobs have been eliminated, with a plan to cut an additional 8,000 positions, bringing total job reductions to 15,000. They warn of up to 20,000 precarious part-time roles—roughly 40 percent of the workforce—potentially by 2025. Such changes, they argue, threaten the quality of service that citizens rely on and deserve from the national postal system.
Correos has responded by denying the unions’ accusations, asserting that service quality remains intact for all users. The organization maintains that ongoing measures do not compromise access to essential postal services, which include home delivery of letters, certificates, notifications, and parcels up to 20 kilograms. The defense emphasizes that the service continues to be provided in a manner that meets national standards across urban centers and rural municipalities alike, including remote and sparsely populated areas.
Nevertheless, the unions argue that the current conditions affect every citizen, from major cities to small towns and rural areas, demonstrating the uneven impact of policy choices on the accessibility and affordability of postal services. They claim the situation has become a political talking point, yet facts show rising costs and a drift away from those who rely most on reliable postal access. The unions intend to keep the spotlight on this issue through May with ongoing mobilizations and a general strike call planned for early June. They demand that the government protect the postal service from further degradation, safeguard public ownership, and defend workers’ rights and job security.
CCOO and UGT also challenge the government’s decommissioning plan, arguing that the results achieved since a leadership change four years ago do not justify the direction taken. They describe the prevailing logistics model as a failure that created a new economic void within Correos, criticizing it for eroding social dialogue and unsettling the workforce. The unions call for a thorough reevaluation of Spain’s public postal model as a first step toward restoring profitability and stabilizing the workforce within a renewed public mail framework that aligns with the country’s broader strategic priorities. The overarching aim is to return Correos to a sustainable path that respects workers’ rights and ensures reliable postal services for all citizens, while maintaining clear accountability for governance and regulatory decisions [citation attribution].
In sum, the campaign emphasizes a shared concern: postal services are a backbone for everyday life and economic activity. From government outreach to rural communities and small businesses, a resilient and affordable public postal system is presented as a cornerstone of national infrastructure. The unfolding actions by CCOO and UGT signal a concerted effort to influence policy choices and preserve the essential services that citizens depend on every day, wherever they live.