Francisco Sabio, the Andalusian head of the Independent Postal Union Sipcte, has brought to light the critical situation facing postal services in Mancha Real. The complaint stems from the removal of a delivery position by the Distribution Sector Headquarters, leaving the unit in a precarious state.
These statements were made after a worker concentration held last Wednesday. Employees of the unit demonstrated outside their working hours, after the workday ended and the office closed, to avoid any disruption to public service.
According to Sabio, the Mancha Real delivery unit has been reduced to only two postal workers—one on foot and one on a motorcycle—to serve a population of approximately 12,000 inhabitants. This is compounded by managing an industrial estate with a significant volume of daily parcel deliveries and collections. This situation, according to the union, is not an isolated incident but part of a policy of cutbacks and a lack of coverage for structural positions within Correos.
“"The case of Mancha Real was not an isolated situation, but a reflection of a continuous policy of cutbacks and lack of coverage for structural positions in Correos."
The union representative detailed that, in just two years, the unit went from having five delivery sections to operating with a minimal staff, without covering retirements or long-term absences. This reduction has led to a constant workload for employees. Workers themselves have stated that, even before the latest cut, the daily workload was unmanageable, forcing them to prioritize between ordinary deliveries and collections in the industrial estate, resulting in accumulated delays and a clear deterioration of service.
Sabio also warned that this problem has affected nearby municipalities such as Torres, Jimena, Albanchez de Mágina, Garcíez, Las Escuelas, Pegalajar, and La Cerradura. Services in these localities were neglected in an attempt to compensate for the staff shortage in Mancha Real.
Sipcte considers it “especially worrying” that this cut occurred just before the start of the Andalusian election campaign. There is a risk that this situation could compromise the distribution of electoral propaganda and the management of mail-in voting throughout the region, affecting democratic participation.
“"We were facing a clear deterioration of an essential public service at a key moment for democratic participation."
Furthermore, it was highlighted that the excessive workload has had direct consequences on the health of workers. The case of an employee who is on sick leave due to a severe anxiety episode suffered during delivery, without her position being covered, was mentioned.
Given this situation, the Andalusian head of Sipcte has demanded the immediate reinstatement of the suppressed position and an urgent reinforcement of the workforce. He warned that, if no measures are taken, the case will be escalated to the Labor Inspectorate and relevant authorities. Finally, Sabio announced the upcoming establishment of the union in the province of Jaén to defend workers and ensure the quality of public postal service in the area.
