Postal strikes could spread across the Balearics

THE strike being held by Binissalem postmen since last week could extend to the rest of the island.

The postmen have called a strike with the support of the General Workers’ Confederation (CGT), to protest against staff cuts, having failed to see their demands met at negotiations. They say that the cuts are affecting the quality of the service they can provide. In Binissalem there are currently only five postmen on the payroll and only two of them are working. They have asked for the help of the local mayor, Jeromi Salom, in talking to the national postal service, Correos.

Other towns in the Part Forana may also follow suit to protest the loss of 17,000 employees in four years across the island, leaving no-one to cover holidays or sick leave.

Luis Camarero, from the CGT explained that they have asked other towns in the ‘Part Forana’ to join the protest. He added that they will ask the Federation of Municipalities to prevent postal services from being done away with in inhabited areas on the outskirts of towns, as planned from January 4 in Llucmajor and Felanitx. If this happens, residents who want to have a post box will have to resort to buying communal post boxes.