The recent recruitment drive reached a milestone for the postal sector, with permanent operational staff now set to serve nearly 7,757 people as the process advances across Spain. This development follows months of election-like hiring rounds that culminated in the establishment of stable, long-term positions within the national postal network.
The positions arise from a coordinated call that combines multiple renewal and stabilization streams. These include the 2020 renewal batch (1,254 roles), the 2021 renewal batch (2,123 roles), the 2018 Stability Plan (2,000 roles), and the stabilization provisions laid out in Law No. 20/2021 of 28 December, which targets reducing temporary employment in the public sector (2,380 roles).
Entrants qualified through competitive entrance exams conducted on May 7, 2023. Permanent staff will undertake delivery duties across urban and rural routes, as well as logistics and customer service tasks in offices, with assignments distributed across provinces nationwide.
The call attracted widespread applicant interest, with more than 84,000 candidates applying. Assessments were conducted concurrently at 44 sites in towns across 28 provinces and the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, reflecting the broad geographic scope of the recruitment effort.
This initiative represents the largest public employment offering by the organization in recent years. Although the plan initially proposed 5,377 positions, the scope was expanded in May 2022 to include an additional 2,380 roles, bringing the total to 7,757 — a reflection of ongoing dialogue with the workforce and broad stakeholder engagement.
The enlargement of the recruitment slate emerged from constructive discussions with trade unions and workforce representatives. Participants in the negotiation process included the CC.OO. and UGT unions, among others, emphasizing the value of a robust, long-term staffing framework.
Nonetheless, CC.OO. has called for renewed efforts to consolidate employment so that all permanent urban and rural delivery roles, along with office posts, postal centers, and parcel processing facilities nationwide, are secure in the long run. The union argues that the company should ensure structural stability beyond the current expansion, safeguarding a consistent permanent workforce rather than cycling through temporary replacements.
In response, the organization notes that its overall headcount has declined in recent years, with a drop from an average of about 54,000 to around 46,000 employees. Critics argue that this reduction should not be offset merely by converting temporary workers into permanent staff if overall employment levels do not rise accordingly. A balanced consolidation approach, they contend, is essential to maintain service levels while preserving job security for permanent personnel.
According to the union’s assessment, the consolidation strategy should translate into a net increase in permanent positions, rather than simply reclassifying temporary roles. The goal is to ensure that every urban and rural delivery position, plus office posts and parcel processing hubs, is backed by stable employment and clearly defined career pathways. Such a framework would also help mitigate seasonal fluctuations and support long-term service quality in the postal network. Marked attributions: CC.OO., UGT, CSIF, and Sindicato Libre have participated in the broader dialogue surrounding these reforms and their implementation across the country.
The postal service defends the strategic value of the consolidation and stabilization plan, noting notable progress since 2018. A multi-year agreement has integrated more than 15,487 permanent employees into the payroll under the broader program to convert temporary roles into enduring positions. This shift aligns with the objective of reducing temporary labor dependence while expanding the pool of permanent staff in collaboration with the labor unions involved in the process. Attribution: organizational statements and union reporting.